I Hate Pokémon!
by Kamejen
Summary: Due to an unfortunate tragedy that has left her life in tatters, Hitomi, a young girl from Fortree, despises all Pokémon. Can a small natu save her from the dangers that plague her, and bring her around?
1. Chapter 1: I Protect Hitomi!

The waning autumn moon hung high in the sky when Hitomi crept silently out of the front door of her grandfather's treehouse. With her backpack crammed full of food and clothes, and her eyes darting about warily as she scanned for witnesses, she seemed more like a burglar than a 14 year old girl in the process of running away. Surmising that no one was around, she quietly descended the ladder leading down to the ground, and she trotted as quietly as she could down the path that would take her through the woods and onto the main road out of Fortree City. She made a point of not looking back, but as she ran she couldn't help thinking the words that she hadn't had the courage to say in person.

"I'm sorry Grandpa," she thought bitterly. "I love you, and I know you want me to live with you and be happy. But as long as you have Pokemon, I'll always be anything but. I'm going to go to Lilycove City and live with Aunt Dorrie. She doesn't have any Pokemon. She may be a bit nuts, but it'll be better than having to put up with those beasts in your house!" Hitomi grit her teeth as fresh tears began to well up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She angrily wiped her eyes dry with her sleeve, and pressed on even harder. She hated Pokemon. She hated them all, and nothing would ever change that - not after what they'd done to Mom and Dad. She had no doubts that she'd hate Pokemon for the rest of her life.

The past week had seemed like a nightmare - a long, hideous, and sickening nightmare. Ever since she got the news last tuesday that her parents had been killed by an overly aggressive Tyranitar during a failed grooming attempt, Hitomi's world had come crashing down around her, piece by piece. Their house had been taken by the bank, as they hadn't had life insurance, and didn't leave enough money in their will to pay off the mortgage. What money they did have was barely enough to pay for a funeral, and while Hitomi had gone through that, all of their possessions had been auctioned off to pay off their debts. Now she was left with nothing but her clothes and a few books and mementos, and the sour taste of their passing. The Tyranitar had apparently been unwilling to allow himself to be groomed, but its owner had insisted. Her parents, being expert groomers, thought there was no Pokemon they couldn't handle. But in this case, they had been wrong. They were stomped to death in the Tyranitar's fit of rage. It was a case of a trainer whose Pokemon was too high-level and just wouldn't obey orders. Despite the Pokemon's brutal behavior, no discipline was to come to it at all. It was decided that it had acted out of self-defense, and the owner's lawyers maintained that it was unaccustomed to grooming, and was afraid.

That wasn't enough for Hitomi. That wouldn't bring her parents back, and it wouldn't bring back her life either. Now she'd been tossed into her Grandfather's house to live with him until she was old enough to live on her own. She wasn't afraid of him though; he was very kind to her, albeit a little senile. The real problem wasn't with how she was treated. It was the Pokemon. He had been a very successful trainer in his younger days, and he had many Pokemon companions that hung around the house. Hitomi had decided that Pokemon were no longer to be trusted, and deserved every bit of hatred and anger she could muster. But even she knew better than to try to get her grandfather to give his up. And besides, she didn't want to be a bother to him. It was just better all around if she went to live with her aunt instead.

As these rationalizations were running through her head, Hitomi was pressing farther and farther into the forest, and paying less and less attention to what she was doing. And that's when it happened. She didn't see it until it was too late, but as she made her way through a thick mass of brush and twigs, she tripped on something hard and round, and went flying face-first into the ground. As she lay there, dazed, she noticed a large egg roll up alongside her. It seemed that's what she had tripped on. It was a Pokemon egg!

"Stupid egg," she growled, getting to her feet and yelping at the biting pain that shot up her left leg when she rested her weight on her foot. "I think I twisted my ankle!"

She didn't have time to say anything else. Out from among the trees leapt a Marowak. She was brandishing her large bone club, and did she ever look angry! She was making a beeline for Hitomi, and it was with a sickening feeling that Hitomi realized that it was the Marowak's egg that she had relocated.

Crying aloud in fear and pain, Hitomi twirled around and lurched forward, desperately trying to run from the angry Pokemon. But with her ankle hurting her so much, the best she could do was limp, and very slowly at that. When the Marowak's bone club hit her squarely in the back of the head, unconsciousness was instantaneous. Hitomi's limp body went crashing into the ground, skidding a little before coming to a stop. Just before the Marowak got to her, a flash of green swooped down from the trees, and a tiny bird Pokemon landed on the ground beside Hitomi, placing itself between her and the Marowak. As the angry mother advanced, the little Natu's feathers ruffled with energy. With a shrill screech, it blasted the Marowak with powerful psychic waves, making it stop in its tracks. The Marowak made an odd grunting noise, and after teetering back and forth a bit, it fell flat on its face, out cold.

The Natu chirped proudly and turned to take a look at Hitomi. Her auburn, shoulder-length hair shone faintly in the moonlight, and it fell in soft curls around her face. Her face was pale, and her expression was emotionless, save for a few vertical lines between her eyebrows, which might be a result of the pain in her ankle. She was tall for her age, and slender too. She was what some people would call "pretty," although she didn't see herself that way. As she lay strewn across the leafy ground, bathed in moonlight, she looked very vulnerable indeed. It must have had an effect on the Natu, because it hopped lightly up onto her backpack and settled itself into a more comfortable position. It preened its feathers a bit, and sat there with an odd look of satisfaction on its face.

-----------------------------

It was well past three in the afternoon the next day when Hitomi finally came back to her senses. At first, the blurry sight in front of her didn't make any sense. There were strange, blurry figures hovering over her, and she felt an odd pressure on her chest. However, that was nothing compared to the pounding, excruciating pain that had begun to throb in her head. As her vision cleared, she realized she was back at her grandfather's house, and she was lying on her back in bed.

"Grandpa?" She said faintly, trying to distinguish which of the figures above her he was.

"You're awake!" He replied, leaning in closer to her. The others did the same. As her vision came into focus, Hitomi saw that he was there, and so were her two friends, Kyo and Asuka. "Thank goodness! Hitomi, you gave us all a real scare!"

"Yeah, what were you thinking, you knucklehead?" Kyo said hotly. "What's the big idea taking off in the middle of the night like that?"

"And how dare you try to do it without telling us goodbye first!" Asuka added, glaring at her angrily. "Have some consideration for others next time!"

Hitomi shrank a little under the covers and tried to force a laugh, which sounded pitiful and caused her head to hurt more. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "But I knew you guys would just try to talk me out of it."

"You're darn right we would," Kyo retorted. "What kind of moron takes off into the woods without even a Pokemon to protect herself?!"

"I can get along fine without Pokemon, thanks!" Hitomi cried shrilly, sitting up so abruptly that she knocked heads with her grandfather, making him grunt something unintelligible, and making her head nearly explode with pain. She was so overcome with agony that she didn't notice that her sitting up had caused a tiny green Pokemon to roll awkwardly off her chest and into her lap. It flopped around a bit before righting itself and chirping indignantly at Hitomi.

"Huh?" She exclaimed, wincing a bit as she looked down at it. "Who put this... THING on me?"

"Now Hitomi," her grandfather chided her, pushing her back down onto her pillow and pulling the covers up on her again. "You need to lie down and rest. The doctor said you shouldn't be moving around for another day or so."

"Don't change the subject!" Hitomi growled at him. "Get it off me! I don't want any of those... MONSTERS anywhere near me!"

"This _monster_ saved your life, you twit," Asuka chuckled, patting the Natu on its head. It hopped back up onto Hitomi's chest and cocked its head as it peered down at her indignant, furious face. "When your grandfather saw that you were missing, he asked us to help him find you. Kyo got his Zigzagoon to track you down, and when we found you in the woods, this little guy was just sitting on top of you, pretty as you please, as if he owned you. When we tried to get him off of you so we could take you back with us, he tried pecking holes in us," she laughed, raising her hands to show her bandages. "That's when we saw the fainted Marowak, and its egg lying next to you. It didn't take a genius to figure out what happened, considering the knot on your head. You disturbed the Marowak's nest, and it attacked you. This little guy must have decided to help you out, although for the life of me, I can't see why. I know I wouldn't help an ungrateful brat like you," she chuckled, poking Hitomi's leg playfully.

"He wouldn't leave you alone, no matter what we did," Her grandfather continued, smiling at Hitomi. "We made a makeshift stretcher out of some tree limbs and some of the clothes in your backpack. We had to be careful to let your little protector know that we weren't going to make him leave you when we put you on it and carried you back. He hasn't left your side the whole time."

"Why the hell would he do anything like that for me?" Hitomi growled, glaring angrily at the Natu, who chirped curiously. "You three are making it all up. Well, it's not going to work! Pokemon are nothing but wild monsters, and even if they act tame sometimes, you can't trust them not to turn on you!"

Kyo and Asuka looked at each other anxiously, and Hitomi's grandfather just laughed aloud. "Don't carry on so, Hitomi dear," he chuckled, patting her hand affectionately. "You don't have to set him free on my account. You can keep him! You can keep as many Pokemon as you want! It won't bother me a bit!"

"Wait, that's not what I meant!" She cried angrily as he turned to leave. "You don't understand!"

"Such a selfless granddaughter," he sighed happily, opening her bedroom door. "I'll be back this evening with some dinner, Hitomi," he said with a warm smile. "You get some rest. You two don't stay with her too long, either. I want her to get some sleep in before dinner."

"Yeah, let's go, Asuka," Kyo said, taking her hand. "Let's leave Hitomi alone with her new friend." He grinned at the flabbergasted and infuriated Hitomi, and both he and Asuka retreated, laughing gaily at her as they left.

Hitomi was so angry she couldn't see straight. All she could do was stare stupidly at the Natu, who stared back at her with interest.

"What the hell do you want?!" She snarled at him.

He stared at her with those large, slanted eyes of his, and suddenly Hitomi was terrified to hear a response echo in her mind. "I protect Hitomi," it said with a childlike voice. "I protect her from the bad ones."

"Did... did you just speak?" Hitomi gasped, feeling a chill go down her spine.

"Hitomi mine," it said again, louder this time. "I protect Hitomi!"

Hitomi's head swam. She moaned, and covered her face with her hands. She was hallucinating. That's all. She'd been hit too hard in the head, and had suffered brain damage. This was just a mindless Pokemon. Of course it couldn't communicate with her!

"Fine, Hitomi yours," she said with a shrill giggle. "Sure she is. But right now she going to sleep."

Hitomi tried very hard indeed to convince herself that she was imagining the look of satisfaction on the Natu's face. Sighing in frustration, she closed her eyes and pretended she was home, and her parents were about to come in and chide her for letting this dirty urchin creep in and perch on her bed. She sighed and grimaced as the already familiar pain came bubbling to the surface again. "Mom... Dad..." She thought bitterly, feeling her face grow hot and tears begin to sting in her eyes. "Why'd you have to leave me like this?"

As she drifted off to sleep, Natu gazed at her face, his own oddly solemn. If one didn't know better, one would think he had begun to glow faintly with a strange, white energy.


	2. Chapter 2: The Bad Ones

Hitomi never did eat her supper. When Oujirou (her grandfather) came by later that evening to bring her food, she was fast asleep, with the Natu dozing atop her slowly-moving chest. Smiling and shaking his head, Oujirou quietly entered the room and set her plate on the nightstand beside her bed. He gently stroked the Natu's soft feathers, rousing it from its half-hearted slumber. It blinked a couple of times and looked up at him quizzically.

"Would you like something to eat?" Oujirou whispered, setting a plate of Pokéchow on the bed beside Hitomi. "Even the fiercest protectors need to eat, you know!"

The Natu gazed at Oujirou thoughtfully for a moment. It seemed as though he was sizing him up. At least, that's what the old man thought. He barely stifled a laugh, and held up his hands defensively. "It's only food," he whispered with a twinkle in his eye. The laughter wrinkles around his eyes and the corners of his mouth seemed to lengthen a bit. "There are no strings attached. Consider it thanks for looking out for Hitomi." He grinned mischievously and left as quietly as he had entered. The Natu could smell the delicious aroma of the Pokéchow wafting up from the plate, and as he had sensed that the old man was one who could be trusted, he hopped down off of his perch atop Hitomi and began to eat.

That was the only real incident for the rest of the night. Hitomi slept well into the late morning, and when she awoke, the morning sun was streaming bright rays through her curtains. Yawning lazily, she rolled onto her side, causing the orb-like Natu to roll off of her and bounce off of the bed in a most undignified way. Squawking grumpily as he bounced a couple of times on the floor, he righted himself and leapt back up onto the bed - just in time to appear in front of Hitomi's newly-opened eyes.

The events that occurred within the following few moments happened very quickly and confusingly. Upon seeing a Pokémon in front of her, Hitomi screamed and flailed her arms and legs, sending the half-eaten plate of Pokéchow flying off the bed, where it crashed into the wall, shattering the plate and splattering the partially-dried Pokémon food in an odd starburst pattern to complement the fish-patterned wallpaper. The Natu didn't go flying, but he did squawk with fright at Hitomi's explosive outburst. This only served to further frighten Hitomi, and she threw back the covers and leapt out of bed in an attempt to put some distance between her and the Pokémon. However, as soon as she landed on her feet, she immediately crumpled to the floor, her bandaged ankle having sent searing pain shooting up her leg the moment it was used. Immediately, Hitomi shrieked and began writhing in pain, temporarily forgetting about the Natu as she clutched her ankle and grit her teeth in agony.

The Natu hopped over to the edge of the bed to look at her, his large eyes wide and his feathers greatly ruffled. "Why Hitomi scream at Péle?!" He practically shouted in her mind. "Péle good! No scary! I protect Hitomi!"

The tension in Hitomi's muscles loosened a bit, and her eyes opened wide. She slowly turned her face to look up at the Natu, who was glaring down at her indignantly.

"Now I remember," she cried, carefully pushing herself off the floor so she could sit upright. "You're that Pokémon from last night! Your name's Péle, then? So... I guess this means you're not part of a dream?" She asked hopefully.

"I no dream," it replied with a confused tilt of its head. "I real! I save Hitomi from scary mother! Hitomi no remember?"

"Hitomi remember friends telling her," she replied, shrugging. "Gah!" She exclaimed as she realized what she'd just said. "Now you've even got me talking like you! This is nuts! What kind of Pokémon talks anyway?" She demanded angrily. She didn't get an answer though, because just then Oujirou burst into the room.

"Are you all right, Hitomi?" He cried as he burst in. He glanced wildly about the room until he saw her in the floor. "Hitomi!" He cried. "What are you doing down there?" He rushed to her side and helped her get up and over to the bed so she could sit there. "What on Earth were you thinking?"

"Sorry Grandpa," she replied, flushing a little in embarrassment. "I forgot about this thing," she said disdainfully, jerking her thumb in Péle's direction. "He scared me, and I tried to jump out of bed, only to find out that I must have twisted my ankle worse than I thought the other night."

"It was pretty swollen when the doctor took your shoes off," Oujirou agreed. "But he didn't think there were any broken bones, so it should heal up within a couple of weeks. Still," he added, glancing over at the mess on the wall and pausing for a second to stare at it in surprise. "Still, you shouldn't be on your feet without help," he continued, motioning to the pair of crutches leaning up against the wall beside her bed.

"Well, I guess I didn't have time to think about it," Hitomi said irritably. "Anyway, I'm fine. Just woke up with a start is all."

"All right then," Oujirou laughed. "Don't let it make you grumpy! Although I guess you were bound to wake up in a sour mood after all that's happened. How's your head?"

"Kind of tender," Hitomi replied, gingerly touching the bump that was already diminishing in size. "But not as bad as last night."

"Good," Oujirou said with a nod. "Feel up to coming to the kitchen for some breakfast? I'll help you down the steps. You should bring your Pokémon along too. He might be hungry, even though he looks a bit ruffled!"

Hitomi glanced back at Péle with an expression she might have used to view a flattened snake on the highway. "He's not my Pokémon," she retorted angrily. "It's not my fault he's gone mental and won't go away!"

"You really are too considerate, Hitomi," Oujirou laughed. "But I'm telling you, we have more than enough food and money to keep a whole zoo of Pokémon here. My work at the Pokémon Mart sees to that!"

Grabbing her crutches and hobbling up alongside her grandfather, Hitomi sighed angrily and shook her head. It was as though it was beyond his comprehension that anyone could have anything but utter infatuation for Pokémon. She wondered what he'd do if she dropped the little pipsqueak off at the Pokémon center and left him there... Nah, that'd never work. He knew too many of the workers there. They'd return the little booger to him in a heartbeat. Shoot, he'd probably already told them all about the wonderful Pokémon his granddaughter had "caught." Psh. What a mess. Wasn't there any way to get rid of the psychotic feathered twit?

Hitomi was thinking these things with a very sour expression as her grandfather helped her down the narrow stairwell that went from her room to the main building of the treehouse. He was there to help her because going down those stairs with crutches could be very dangerous, due to the nature of houses in Fortree.

A treehouse in Fortree City generally isn't contained in a single building. On the contrary, several different buildings are usually built around the tree, all connected by stairs winding around the broad trunk. There are handrails of course, but if you aren't watching what you are doing - especially in the older houses in taller trees - you could wind up falling over the handrail and meeting an unwelcome end, or at least getting terribly injured. It was a risk that the people of fortree decided long ago to take, however, for several reasons. First of all, it was an ideal place to raise flying Pokémon, as they were the type of choice in the local gym. But more importantly, it was much easier to stay out of reach of the more obnoxious and inquisitive wild Pokémon. Although attacks on humans were rare, it was sadly very common for Pokémon to damage human buildings and property just by being curious. Because of this, the citizens of Fortree thought it best overall for both the people and the Pokémon if they built their houses high in the trees.

Hitomi's grandfather Oujirou lived in one such house, and he seemed every bit like he belonged in it. He hadn't been just a successful Pokémon trainer. In his heyday, he had been a champion, and had even bested the Indigo elite four once. He prided himself on keeping physically fit along with his Pokémon, and he was well-suited to life in trees with his nimble movements and keen senses. However, despite the fact that he was there to help her, Hitomi did something very stupid - something that not even he was able to counteract.

It happened when Péle came hopping out of her room after them and chirped eagerly as he began to follow them down the steps. It didn't really make any sense, but for some reason, his chirping just made Hitomi furiously angry. It was something about the cheerfulness of it, like he actually believed she wanted him there. The image of the enraged Tyranitar flashed in Hitomi's mind, and she lost it.

"What THE HELL do you want now?!" She bellowed, whirling around and nearly knocking Oujiro over with her crutches. She lost her balance in mid-twirl and fell hard against the railing. Maybe it was the age of the wood, or maybe it was the ferocity of Hitomi's actions. Either way, when she made contact with the railing, it cracked in two and gave way, and she was unable to keep herself from falling over the edge.

"Wha!" She screamed, her crutches flying away as she waved her arms wildly and fell head-first off of the platform.

"Hitomi!" Her grandfather yelled, nearly falling over the edge himself as he tried frantically to grab onto her outstretched hand. But it was too late. She'd gone over too quickly. Oujirou didn't see Péle as he zoomed past him down after Hitomi. About halfway down, he caught up to her and latched onto her right arm with his feet. He let out a shrill cry, as every one of his feathers stood on end, from the green ones on his face and body, down to the yellow and red ones on his wings and tail. In a split second, both he and Hitomi completely dematerialized, only to rematerialize again up on the steps next to Oujirou.

Hitomi looked like she'd gone through a wind tunnel and felt like she had just been knocked on the head with a large rubber mallet. "Gah... whaaa... bah..." She babbled incoherently. "Huh? What... what just ha- happened?" She looked down at her arm to see Péle, who was still grasping it tightly, his tiny claws nearly puncturing her skin. "Did... did YOU do that?"

"Teleportation!" Oujirou said breathlessly. "My God, what a wonderful, amazing little creature! You're eating like a king for the entire week, you beautiful bird!"

Hitomi gaped at him as Péle slowly relaxed his feathers and loosened his hold on her raised arm. He shook himself a bit and looked up at Hitomi as if to say "I told you so." Then he hopped down onto the steps next to her and looked up at her expectantly.

"Come on, Hitomi," Oujirou said, helping her to her feet. "Lean on my shoulders. And no more jumping around! I'm your crutches now, and I won't have you tossing me to the ground like THEM." He nodded toward the ground where Hitomi's crutches had landed.

All she could do in reply was nod and do as he said. She glanced down at Péle as he led the way toward the main building of the house. "Okay, fine," she thought grudgingly. Maybe she wouldn't dump him off at the Pokémon Center after all. The little bugger could stay, but that didnt't make him HER Pokémon, and it didn't mean she liked him either. It took a lot of power to do what he had done. Imagine what could happen if he ever turned on her with power like that. There'd be no way for her to defend herself against Psychic abilities!

"Grandpa," she asked as they entered the main building and he helped her get seated on one of the barstools in the kitchen. "Is it possible for Pokémon to talk like humans?"

"You mean like we're doing now?" He asked, getting some materials for breakfast from the refrigerator and his cupboards, and then putting on his cooking apron.

"Well yeah, or even through other ways, like telepathy," she said hesitantly. "But either way, like they're saying actual words to you. Is that possible?"

"Well, I don't know," Oujirou said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin and stopping to think for a minute. "I had an Alakazam that I swear could read my mind. I never could pull a fast one on that guy. But he never said anything back to me... nothing more than body language or what looked like the normal behavior of an intelligent psychic Pokémon. But that probably doesn't mean it can't happen. Pokémon are smart - the psychics especially so. Why do you ask?" He asked, resuming his work on breakfast. "Are you trying to tell me your little bird can talk to you?"

"His name's Péle," Hitomi said absentmindedly, gazing fixedly at the tiny, round bird as he hopped up onto the stool next to her and looked back at her with those wide, slanted eyes of his. "And I'm not saying anything like that at all. I was just wondering if it was possible."

"It'd be nice, wouldn't it?" Oujirou laughed, setting a plate of his finest Pokémon food - used only for holidays and special occasions - on the counter in front of Péle. Péle chirped excitedly when he smelled the intoxicating aroma, and promptly hopped up onto the counter to eat his feast.

"I mean, wouldn't it be great to know what your Pokémon really thinks of you, and what he's thinking in general?" He continued, adding something to a pot that had been bubbling on the stove. "It'd make him less like a mindless animal and like even more of a friend, wouldn't it?" He shot Hitomi a quizzical look, and it occurred to her that maybe her grandfather wasn't as senile as she thought he was.

"Pokémon ARE mindless animals," she said stiffly, scowling at the ground. "If they're not, then that would make the one that killed Mom and Dad a murderer. Wouldn't it?"

Oujirou sighed. "If Pokémon were of various minds and moralities," he continued, "that would definitely make them more like people. If your parents had been killed by people, would you hate all people?"

"I... I don't... DON'T ASK STUPID QUESTIONS!" Hitomi snapped at him, feeling her face get hot and flushed as she felt tears coming. "They were killed by a Pokémon! A mindless, uncaring, brutish Pokémon! Not some human who kills his own kind!"

Oujirou shrugged and shook his head. "I don't know what that Pokémon was like," he sighed. "I never had the chance to meet it. Nor did I get to meet its owner. And from what I gathered, you didn't get to either, did you?"

"No," Hitomi said angrily, looking away as a couple of tears managed to escape and trickle down the sides of her face. "As soon as his lawyer convinced the judge that there was no need for a trial, he left town. I was still working out the details of the funeral while all that was going on. I didn't even know there had been a hearing until later that night."

"Sounds pretty suspicious," Oujirou said quietly as he ladled something out of the pot and into a bowl. So quietly were his words that Hitomi asked what he had just said. He quickly laughed laughed and waved it away. "It's nothing," he replied. "Anyway, your breakfast is ready. Here you are," he said, placing a bowl of thick, pink, hot soup in front of her. "Compliments of our local Pokémon Center."

"Huh?" Hitomi said, sniffing it and becoming quite entranced by the deliciously rich, sweet smell. "What is it?"

"I went to the center last night to deliver some supplies, and I told them about how you'd injured yourself when you tried to run away. While I was telling Nurse Joy about your new Pokémon, her assistant - the large Blissey she calls Felicia - came up to me and put an egg in my hands. Joy laughed and said that she does that for everyone who brings sad news to the center. It's that Blissey's mission in life to make the world happy. What you're eating is a soup made from that egg. What you're getting is the good will of that Blissey," he added, crossing his arms and staring fixedly at her. Hitomi swallowed back some tears, but even more came to the surface. She rubbed her eyes with her wrist, sniffling angrily.

"I know you want to blame all Pokémon for your parents' tragic deaths, Hitomi," he said soothingly, walking around the counter and patting her gently on her shoulder. "But that isn't going to bring them back, and it's not going to help the pain go away either. The death of a loved one leaves an empty hole in your heart and in your very soul. If you choose to fill that hole with anger and hatred, you'll have no room left for love anymore. Believe me; I know. I went through the same thing when your grandmother died. And I'm going through it again now. Don't forget that you're not the only one who lost your parents. Your mother was MY daughter, and your father my son-in-law. I'll miss them both terribly, and although it gets better as the time goes by, there isn't a day that passes when I long to hold both your grandmother AND your mother in my arms just one more time.

"Death is unfair, and it can seem cruel. But life, Hitomi... life is all you have. If you waste it feeling angry and hurt, a day may come when you forget HOW to live. And I know for a fact that's not what your mother or father would want for their daughter."

Hitomi didn't answer him. She couldn't. Oujirou patted her on the shoulder again, and he turned to go. "I've got to work in the shop today," he said, taking off his cooking apron and putting on his Pokémon Mart smock. "I know you don't want to hear this old codger spout off platitudes and lectures to you all day anyway. But I will say this; please don't try to leave the house today. It's too dangerous for you to try to climb the ladder with your ankle the way it is. But you don't have to be alone either. Why don't you call your friends over for a visit? You guys could spend the day having fun here if you want."

Hitomi just nodded, since she didn't trust herself not to sob if she answered aloud. Oujirou shot Péle a wink, and then he quietly left through the front door.

Hitomi slowly pushed the bowl of soup away, buried her head in her arms, and broke into a good, long cry. Péle finished his breakfast in silence. And when he was done, he waited patiently for Hitomi to finish crying.

When she had cried as much as she could, Hitomi grabbed a towel off the counter and wiped her face and nose with it. Then she sighed shakily. "Why couldn't you have shown up for my parents instead of me?" She asked quietly without looking at him. "They needed you more than I ever will."

"I choose this mission," Péle replied after a short pause. "I not find out about Hitomi's Mama and Papa until after it already happen."

"Find out?" Hitomi asked, turning to look at him in surprise. "How could you have found out? And what do you mean you chose this 'mission?' What mission?"

"Hitomi's Mama and Papa very important," Péle said, bowing his head solemnly. "They save my people village from the bad ones. But then bad ones find Hitomi's Mama and Papa, and they make brother Tyranitar mad with pointy thing. It kill Hitomi's Mama and Papa. Bad ones want kill Hitomi too. That's why Hitomi need me! I protect her!" He hopped up and down insistently as he said the last two sentences.

Hitomi gaped at him in astonishment. This was beyond all reason. Not only was she carrying on a real conversation with this Pokémon, but he was actually standing there and telling her that her parents had been murdered by these "bad ones," or whoever they were. She didn't know what to say. She just sat there, staring at him, her mouth agape in amazement.

"Hold on a minute," she said, raising her hands. "Let me just make sure I got all that right. One - my parents were important to you and your village because they saved it from these 'bad ones.' Two - then those same bad ones had my parents killed by doing something to the Tyranitar to make it go crazy when my parents tried to groom it. Three - now you're saying that they want to kill me too, and that you're here to keep them from doing it. Have I got all that right?"

"Hitomi got it! Hitomi got it!" Péle shouted excitedly, hopping energetically all over the counter. "Hitomi understands!"

"This is insane," she said, sinking lower on her stool and resting an elbow on the counter and her head in her hand. "Murder! But who would want to kill my parents? And why? Does it have something to do with your village? Who were these bad ones, and what were they trying to do to you?"

"Péle try explain," he said, his expression turning rather serious and anxious. "Bad ones are people. They come take all Péle people to do bad things. Village elder knew; he sense bad ones' intentions."

"And what about my parents?" Hitomi asked.

"They pretend be bad ones. Set Péle people free and help get rid of bad ones. Village elder tell Péle all this. He say Hitomi Mama and Papa do same thing bad ones do. They make Pokémon look clean."

"They... they're Pokémon groomers, like my Mom and Dad?" Hitomi asked in astonishment.

Péle hopped around excitedly. "Hitomi got it!" He cried. "Only, bad ones also do bad things. Want use Péle people control other Pokémon. Pokémon come get pretty, leave do bad things!"

"Wait a minute..." Hitomi gasped, covering her mouth with one hand. "You mean they wanted to use your people's psychic abilities to control the Pokémon that came into their grooming salons? For what? What would the Pokémon do?"

"Steal, kill, and take over," Péle replied gravely. "Bad ones want control all people and all Pokémon!"

"And... and my parents found out about all this?" Hitomi asked, beginning to feel faint.

"Yes," Péle replied. "Elder say many people like Hitomi Mama and Papa say no, get killed right away. Hitomi Mama and Papa smart. They pretend say yes."

Hitomi had to hold onto the counter to keep herself steady. "And how many of these 'bad ones' are there?" She asked weakly.

"Elder say he not know," Péle replied. "Péle not know either. We hoping Hitomi know. Mama and Papa not tell Hitomi?"

"No, they didn't," she replied, furrowing her brow as she thought long and hard. "They never said anything about any of it. How long ago did all of this happen at your village?"

"Seventeen moons," Péle replied. "It not take bad ones long catch Hitomi Mama and Papa. They smart too," he added darkly.

Hitomi gulped. "So why do they want to kill me? I had nothing to do with it!"

"Bad ones think same thing Péle people think. Hitomi know about intentions. Not matter if she not know. They no take chance."

"Well I know now," she laughed sardonically. "But I see the sense in your point. To people like that, it wouldn't matter if I knew or not, I guess. I suppose I'm glad I know the truth."

Péle nodded. "Elder say truth very important. He say it sometimes more important than life."

Hitomi bit her lip. What should she do? She had to tell her grandfather about this. He was the only one she could think of who might know what to do. Péle saw her anxious expression and hopped up next to her.

"I here protect Hitomi," he said reassurringly. "No need worry. I strong warrior! Only elder stronger than Péle!"

He looked so earnest and sincere that for the first time in what seemed like forever, Hitomi laughed. "I guess you've proven yourself there already," she said with a kind of grudging pat on his head. "Maybe you're not as bad as I first thought."

Péle practically radiated waves of joy. "Péle think Hitomi wonderful!" He squeaked, hopping so frantically that he nearly fell off the counter. "Hitomi Mama and Papa tell village all about Hitomi! Village all want meet her! We all want protect Hitomi when find out Mama and Papa dead!"

Hitomi felt a sharp sting of guilt. Maybe her grandfather had been right after all. Perhaps she shouldn't have been so quick to turn on Pokémon like that. She'd never had one of her own before, but she didn't use to hate them so much, either. Maybe she HAD just chosen them as a scapegoat for her anger.

"I'm sorry, Péle," Hitomi sighed.

Péle cocked his head to one side in consternation. "Why Hitomi sorry?" He asked.

"I'm sorry for treating you like I did. I thought I hated Pokémon because one had killed my parents. But now, after hearing this, I can see that I've been irrational about all this. I should have known better."

"Péle know," he said with an understanding nod. "He feel same way about people if Hitomi Mama and Papa not save village."

Hitomi smiled at him. Then she remembered something important and she frowned. "We have to tell my grandfather about this," she said anxiously. "I don't know who else we can tell."

"Péle not sure," he said quietly. "Elder not know about Hitomi grandpapa."

"If I'm in danger, then so is he," Hitomi replied nervously. "After all, I'm living with him now. And even if I left, they'd still come here first to find me, since it was a well-known fact during the hearing that I'd be staying with him. I have to tell him. If anyone will know what to do about all this, he will. At the very least he might have a suggestion about who we could talk to."

"Péle agree then," he said approvingly. "Hitomi grandpapa wise. He give Hitomi wise advice."

"Well, that settles that," she said with a sigh. "But Grandpa won't be home until later on tonight. And I can't get down to see him with my injury. I wonder if I should do what he suggested and call my friends? Maybe I should tell them too? They both have pretty strong Pokémon. Maybe if we stayed together we'd be less likely to be attacked."

Péle thought long and hard about that. Finally he raised his head and nodded. "Elder says this good idea," he replied. "Call friends. We tell everything."

Hitomi gasped. "Have you been talking to your Elder all this time?" She asked in amazement.

Péle laughed in an embarrassed sort of way. "Péle no good with strategy," he admitted. "Need elder help."

Hitomi stared at him in astonishment. Psychic abilities were amazing. As she picked up the phone to call Asuka, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of peril she was about to drag her friends into. She also found herself trying to figure out how it was possible to go from passionately hating Pokémon early in the day to having an altogether different opinion mere hours later!


	3. Chapter 3: Neo Perfection

When Hitomi had finished her call with Kyo, she hung up the phone and hopped on her good foot over to the sofa beneath the front window. She settled herself on her knees in the deep, fluffy cushions and folded her arms on the windowsill, resting her head on them as she watched the morning activities begin in Fortree. The morning shifts were starting up in the Pokémon center and in the Pokémon mart, and new challengers were beginning to line up outside the gym already. It seemed as though Winona was going to have a busy day as usual. All of the houses were beginning to awaken too, as smoke was already billowing out of chimneys, and doors were opening for sweeping porches and hanging laundry. Fortree was greeting yet another morning.

"You friends coming?" Péle asked, hopping up onto the windowsill next to her and peering interestedly out at all the activity that was awakening around them.

"Yeah, they both sounded pretty excited about it. I guess they didn't expect to hear from me today." She pressed her cheek against the warm glass and strained to see Asuka's house, even though she knew she wouldn't be able to at this angle. Péle tilted his head as he turned his gaze back to her.

"Hitomi trust friends, no? What they like?"

Hitomi laughed. "Of course I trust them! We've all been friends since we were little kids. We've grown up together. We tease each other now and then, but we never stay mad at each other."

"Hitomi sure she want get friends involved?" He asked gravely, casting his eyes downward a bit. "They put in danger too."

Hitomi closed her eyes and nodded. "They'll have to decide that for themselves," she thought aloud. "I can't really ask them to help me. But I want to tell them what's going on. If I have to disappear suddenly, I don't want them to worry, just like I don't want Grandpa to worry.

"Just the same," she added with a wistful grin, "I hope they want to help. I don't want to be alone in this."

"Hitomi not alone!" Péle shot at her, his feathers beginning to bristle indignantly. "Péle here! I protect Hitomi! I not leave alone!"

"Yeah, yeah." She chuckled. "Fine, I guess. But I meant alone with a Pokémon. Nothing personal, but I'd rather have some people to back me up too."

Péle bunched up his face and gave a petulant little snort. "Péle strong. Hitomi see! Friends' Pokémon only have to watch!"

Hitomi laughed. She couldn't help it. She was sure she had hurt his feelings, but she'd never expected to see a Pokémon get jealous over HER. It made her feel kind of weird. Still, Asuka and Kyo meant a lot to her, and she had a feeling Péle would understand in time. If not, he was always free to leave; she wasn't going to stop him.

"Anyway," she continued, chuckling some more. "You asked me what they were like. Well, first of all, there's Asuka. She's a fair flying type trainer. Her bird Pokémon are really something. She's actually a second cousin to Winona, and she's hoping to become a gym leader herself someday. She's hoping to get in Winona's good graces and become an apprentice with her, but right now there aren't any openings at the gym."

"Péle know that name!" He interjected, forgetting he was supposed to be upset. "Winona fierce warrior! My people respect her; she respect all flying Pokémon."

"Yep, that's her," Hitomi agreed. "She's very talented. Those birds of hers are very powerful, and are not to be taken lightly. My parents had a hard time grooming her Skarmory."

"What kind Pokémon does other friend like?" Péle prodded her eagerly. "They strong?"

"Well, Kyo's Pokémon aren't really as strong as Asuka's," Hitomi laughed. "He's actually training them for contests, not battling. So they don't see a lot of rough battles. Still, they're strong enough to defend him. His father saw to that. He wouldn't let Kyo go on his Pokémon journey until he was certain at least one of his Pokémon could defend him from harm. Anyway, he doesn't really favor any one type over another. He just likes them to be 'cool.' That's the aspect of the contests that interests him most."

"Péle not know anything about contests, but he cool too!" He boasted, puffing himself up a bit. "So what about Hitomi? What her Pokémon like?"

"I don't have any," she said, frowning and looking out the window to avoid his astute gaze. "I flunked my tests in Pokémon training nearly every time I took them. When I finally did pass, I was already thirteen. By then, I was really too old to go on a journey, and to be honest, I didn't really want to. I was content to help out in my parents' job from time to time, but I didn't really feel comfortable around Pokémon, even then. One of the first things you learn in Pokémon School is that they are often unpredictable, and can't be taken for granted, especially out in the wild. I guess the whole idea of going out and being surrounded by wild animals didn't really appeal to me."

"Péle think he understand," he replied thoughtfully. "I feel same way about people sometimes. Elder always tell us be careful around people. It not easy keep freedom, and some people cruel. Most Péle's people want remain in village, raise families. We no want become human's pets. But some wonder what it like to live with people. We all hear stories of nice, strong, kind people treat Pokémon like partners. Some Péle people search trainers like that. We never know they find or not, most times."

Hitomi looked at him in surprise. "I never considered that," she exclaimed. "And I'll bet a lot of trainers don't either. It must be hard on the Pokémon, being taken away from their friends and families like that. I'd be scared and lonely if it was me."

"Péle glad Hitomi understand." Hitomi saw what was easily a look of admiration on his face. "I knew Hitomi nice person when first saw her. That why I choose stay with Hitomi!"

Hitomi's cheeks turned a little pink from embarrassment. "I'm not THAT nice," she said uncomfortably. "I mean, not to Pokémon... not lately."

The sudden knock at the door put a stop to their conversation. Hitomi peered out the window and saw Asuka and Kyo waving at her. She grinned. "Just a minute!" She cried, hopping down off the couch and yelping at the pain of landing on both feet. Gritting her teeth, she hopped over to the door and after unlocking it, opened it for her friends and let them in.

"Hey, girl!" Asuka laughed, elbowing her in the ribs. "You look terrible!"

"Thanks," Hitomi replied with a laugh. "Right back at you."

"So what's up?" Kyo asked, glancing at Péle and grinning at Hitomi. "Call us over for a battle with your new Pokémon?"

Hitomi shook her head, her smile fading slightly. "Something serious has happened," she began. "I want to tell you all about it, but before I do, I have to tell you both something, and ask you something important. Come on; let's sit at the bar."

They went over to the bar alongside the kitchen and sat on the barstools. Hitomi noticed that the soup her grandfather made was still there. It must have gotten cold by now. Péle followed them over and hopped up onto the bar, sitting patiently in front of Hitomi. Kyo laughed.

"Looks like you're stuck with him, huh?" He chuckled, grinning at Asuka. She giggled.

"Seems so," Hitomi replied, not smiling back. "Listen guys, I just found out something terrible. It has to do with my parents, and it means that I'm in a lot of danger. I called you over to let you know that something terrible may be about to happen, and if it does, I might have to leave. I didn't want you to worry about me if that was the case."

Neither of them seemed at all prepared for such a revelation. "What do you mean, 'in a lot of danger'?" Asuka gasped. "Don't tell me you're afraid that Tyranitar's going to come after you!"

"No, no, it's nothing like that," Hitomi interjected, shaking her head. "It's really serious. It's so serious, in fact, that simply by telling you guys about it, it'll put you in the same danger I'm in. That's why I need to ask you if you really want me to do that. I don't want to put either of you in danger. The less you know about what I know, the better it could be for you."

"You've got to be kidding," Kyo cried, exchanging looks with Asuka. "If there's something wrong, you know we want to know about it. It wouldn't matter even if it meant risking our lives. You can't expect us to stay out of it just because it could be dangerous! You're our friend. We'll stick whatever it is out together!"

"That goes double for me," Asuka agreed. "Sorry Hitomi, but you're stuck with us. Now spill it. What's going on?"

"I thought you'd say that," Hitomi said, trying not to smile, as she wanted to give them one last chance. "But I have to say that if you decide to get in on this, it WILL mean risking your lives. I'm not being melodramatic here. This is serious, real world danger."

Kyo and Asuka exchanged looks again, but they didn't falter, either. They both agreed that they were in, and so they listened intently to what Hitomi had to say. She told them about how her parents had been murdered, and that their killers were still at large, and were most likely coming after her, in case she knew about them. She left out the part about Péle and his village, thinking at first that it might not be a good idea to tell them he was the one who had told her about it all. But she didn't really get that option when Kyo asked her how she knew about all of this.

"Did your parents tell you about any of this?" He demanded. "How did you find out?"

Hitomi sighed. She looked at Péle, who looked back at her, and after pausing for a moment, turned his attention to the others. "I tell Hitomi," he said, his child-like voice firm and confident. Hitomi suddenly wondered if the others could hear him speaking telepathically just like she could. She didn't have to wait long for her answer.

"Who said that?!" Asuka cried, jumping off her chair. Kyo got up too, looking equally unsettled. "Show yourself!"

Péle hopped over to their side of the counter and hopped up and down a few times. "Péle here!" He exclaimed at them. "Behind Hitomi friends!"

They whirled around and gaped down at Péle. They looked first at each other, and then at Hitomi. Gulping, Kyo pointed a finger at Péle and stared at Hitomi in surprise. She nodded.

"That's right," she said. "That was Péle. He's the one who told me about all of this. He's speaking to us telepathically."

They both backed away a bit, staring at Péle in a frightened, confused sort of way. Apparently the prospect of a talking Pokémon was a bit much for them to swallow. But Péle was ready for this.

"Péle not evil, not scary. I learn talk human from village elder. He used be partner with old human trainer. Trainer died, and elder came village. He teach Péle people strong techniques. Teach Péle talk with human."

"So that's how you learned to talk," Hitomi mused. "I wondered about that." She explained to Kyo and Asuka about how Péle had spoken to her last night and this morning, and about how her mother and father had come to find his village and save it from the corrupt Pokémon groomers. When she had finished, they were both more than just a little taken aback by it all.

"We have to tell the police," was all Kyo could think to say. "If they know you're here, it could mean trouble for you and your grandfather!"

"We should tell Winona too," Asuka added. "She was friends with your parents, Hitomi. She could help us too!"

"I don't know," Hitomi replied hesitantly. "I'm not so sure I want everyone to know about Péle's abilities. Don't you think it'll draw a lot of attention to him and his village?"

"I hadn't thought about that," Asuka replied, furrowing her brow.

"Neither did I," Kyo agreed. "I see your point. We'd have to tell them all about him if we were to back up our claims, wouldn't we?"

"No need get other human involved," Péle interjected emphatically. "I plenty strong. I protect Hitomi AND grandpa. Bad ones already lost!"

"But what about your village?" Asuka asked him, her expression doubtful. "These horrible people managed to subdue an entire village of Natu and Xatu, didn't they? That would have taken a lot of power and strong Pokémon. I don't think it's fair to you for us to just rely on you to keep Hitomi safe. Not if they really do want her dead."

"But-… oh..." Péle began, then stopped as what she said finally dawned on him. "Péle not think of that." He turned away for a few moments. Hitomi thought maybe he was taking this kind of hard, and she reached a tentative hand out to pat him on the head. But he hopped around suddenly, startling her and making her jerk her hand back. He stared at them confidently. "Elder agree," he explained. "He say that why he want Hitomi friends help."

"You spoke with your elder again?" Hitomi asked. Péle nodded. She looked back at Kyo and Asuka. "He's been consulting his elder already this morning," she explained. "It seems that elder is the brains behind Péle's mission."

"Well one thing's for certain," Kyo said darkly. "We're not going to be enough to stop them on our own. We might be able to protect Hitomi and ourselves initially, but if their organization is big enough, it's only a matter of time before things turn ugly around here."

"Have you told your grandfather yet, Hitomi?" Asuka asked her. Hitomi shook her head.

"I just found out this morning," she explained. "Grandpa had already left before Péle told me what was going on. He's working at the Pokémon mart today. I want to tell him about this right away, but I don't trust the phones. It might not be safe."

"Good thinking," Kyo agreed. "Maybe we should wait it out here anyway. How's your head? Does it hurt much?"

"Not really," Hitomi replied. "But my foot isn't too great. I can barely get around like this. And I dropped my crutches when I fell off the stairs coming down from my room."

"Wait, what?" Asuka exclaimed. "You fell off?!"

Hitomi laughed. "Thanks to Péle's teleportation, all I lost was my crutches," she said with a grin, scratching Péle's back affectionately. He smirked gleefully at them. "Anyway, the point is that I won't be able to move quickly for a while," she continued, frowning again. "About all I can expect to do is wait here until I heal. I don't want to be alone though..."

"Don't worry about that," Asuka reassured her. "We'll come by and stay with you every day until you get better. In the meantime, we need to come up with some kind of plan."

"Yeah," Kyo agreed. "And when your grandfather comes home tonight, we need to sit down with him and get him in on it too."

"Thanks guys," Hitomi sighed. "I knew I could count on you. I'm just sorry I got you involved in this mess."

"We've been getting in messes together since we were four," Asuka laughed, slapping Hitomi on the back as she and Kyo grinned at her. "What are best buds for, besides putting each other in mortal danger?"

Hitomi laughed. "I guess you have a point," she chuckled. "Well, you two wanna play some video games? If you'll help me into the TV room, we can hang out there for a while."

They spent the afternoon and evening playing games, telling stories, and generally having a good time. They listened eagerly to Péle's stories of growing up in a Pokémon village, and what life was like as a Pokémon. Like Hitomi, they'd never considered what kind of things Pokémon thought about being captured and becoming partners with people. And while they were interested in his stories, he was enthralled with theirs. He couldn't seem to get enough about how humans lived, and how they felt about Pokémon and battling with them. Before they knew it, the sun had already begun to set, and they were still talking up a storm.

All in all, it had been a nice, noisy, fun day, and when they heard Grandpa Oujirou come in the front door that evening, they found it quite hard to believe it was nearly over. Kyo and Asuka helped Hitomi into the living room so that they could greet her grandfather. As he began to fix them dinner, they began telling him about all that had happened to them that morning, and what had happened to Hitomi's parents.

Grandpa Oujirou remained silent and motionless through most of their explanation, even when they told him about Péle and how he could speak to them. But when they got to the part about how Péle's village thought Hitomi was going to be next, he slammed his palms down on the counter.

"So it's true then," he snarled viciously. "Your parents WERE murdered! We thought we'd erased all evidence of their being the culprits behind the failing of Project Mind Meld. But it seems those tricky bastards were one step ahead of those two in the end."

"Huh?" They all cried in unison. They certainly hadn't expected this kind of a reaction to their news!

"Let me explain," Oujirou sighed. "Hitomi, your parents were indeed mixed up with a bad crowd, though it was through little fault of their own. It seems there's a group of people around the world that have banded together for the purpose of world domination. Yes, I know that it's cliché and predictable, but there are seldom facets of human vanity and greed that aren't. Anyway, they call themselves the 'Neo Perfect.' They consist of Pokémon groomers, breeders, and healers all around the world, and they're growing stronger every day.

"Your parents found out about them when a Neo Perfectionist came to visit the salon where they worked - for the purpose of recruiting new members. On the surface, he appeared to be a recruiter for a famous grooming academy, but as he took in each applicant in for an interview, it became apparent that something was terribly wrong. No one seemed to be leaving the interview room. Your parents snuck in after one of the applicants and watched the process as it took place. Each applicant was shown a small video entailing a high-level overview of the plans of Neo Perfection. They intended to take over the world, through grooming salons, Pokémon Centers, and Day Care Centers all over the globe. Each Pokémon that came in was to be brainwashed into doing Neo Perfection's dirty work. This was to be done through the use of Psychic power, both from Pokémon and from people.

"Your parents got to see the horrifying death of one such applicant when he refused the recruiter's offer. The recruiter's Medicham snapped the poor man's neck in two. Never before had your parents seen a Pokémon kill a human like that. It had to be the result of brainwashing. They immediately made a vow to infiltrate the evil organization, disrupt it from the inside, and put a stop to such a terrible misuse of Pokémon. They had no Pokémon of their own, so they knew there was little they could do to stop this man from doing his job. So reluctantly, they snuck back out and waited their turns. When they were called inside, each one emphatically agreed to join, on the condition that they would be allowed to remain together. The recruiter passed this along to his superiors, who agreed to the terms.

"The rest you know. They took your parents along to harvest psychic Pokémon - the Natu and Xatu of your village, Péle. It was a local faction of a bigger project called 'Project Mind Meld.' They waited until all of the Natu and Xatu had gone to sleep, and they were able to capture them through a surprise attack. However, things didn't go according to plan.

"Your parents, Hitomi, freed the Pokémon at the last minute. They led them on a surprise attack on the harvesting group. Every member of Neo Perfection that was there to participate in the event was killed - except for one. The one that remained was an underling, and not a very bright one at that. Thanks to the help of the elder Xatu of the village, your parents had the remaining Neo Perfectionist brainwashed into thinking that he was the only survivor, and that the Pokémon in the area were beyond capture due to their unreasonable strength. He relayed that very message to his superiors and promptly left the area, never to be seen again.

"Thinking that they had thwarted Neo Perfection and that they would not return - at least for a while - your parents decided to set up base here and create their own organization to combat Neo Perfection. They consulted with Winona, the local police, and our Pokémon Center and Pokémon Mart staff, who all agreed to join the cause and recruit everyone they could to help out. Every trainer that comes into our gym, Pokémon Center, and Pokémon Mart is made aware of the threat of Neo Perfection - after a Psychic Pokémon determines that they are not a Neo Perfectionist themselves."

"So THAT'S why Winona, Nurse Joy, and the Pokémon Mart owner all have pet Abra!" Asuka exclaimed. "But you said every trainer... Kyo and I have never been told about something like that!"

"Well, I meant from a certain age up," Oujirou explained. "We aren't recruiting minors to this cause. Unfortunately, it's just too dangerous to get kids involved."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hitomi demanded, her face growing hot as thoughts of her parents' deaths filled her mind. "Why did you let me think it was just a random Pokémon attack? Didn't you think I deserved to know the truth?"

"Now hold on," Oujirou chided her. "I didn't know it had been the result of a Neo Perfection plan. The Tyranitar showed no signs of being brainwashed, and the trainer checked out fine too. We all just assumed it was a fluke tragedy."

"You also said you'd never had the chance to meet that Tyranitar," Hitomi snapped. "Either way, you lied to me!"

"Okay, okay. I'll admit it. I lied to you. I'm sorry about that. If I had to do it over again, I'd do it differently. But you have to understand that I didn't want you to know what your parents had gotten themselves mixed up in because I knew you'd want to go off and try to avenge them. You've already shown us once that you're not afraid of running off on your own."

Hitomi didn't say anything in reply. She just scowled at him and turned away. Asuka put her arm around her shoulders and gave her an understanding squeeze. Kyo sat down on one of the stools and sighed.

"So now what?" He asked Oujirou. "They knew Hitomi's parents were still alive. Plus they know how to breach your security measures. I would guess they have some stronger power than those Abra can give you. Who's to say they aren't about to make their move on Hitomi and the rest of us? If they knew about her parents, I'd say it's a given they know about this town's involvement in the plan to thwart them."

"You're right," Oujirou agreed. "That's precisely what we've been discussing - those of us involved in the plan, that is. It's time to bring in outside help, and lots of it. The city officials made a decision today. We're contacting the elite four, and all the other gym leaders in Hoenn. It's time to go public with this and spread the word as fast as we can."

Hitomi turned back around. "Grandpa!" She exclaimed. "Let me help! Please! I'll do anything I can! I promise I won't run away again!"

"If Hitomi help, Péle help!" The tiny bird exclaimed, hopping excitedly on his place on the counter. "Me get village help too!"

"Don't forget me!" Kyo laughed, hopping down off the stool and pulling his jacket back to reveal his four Pokéballs. "My cool Pokémon and I are no slouches! You can count on us!"

"And me!" Asuka agreed. "My Pokémon are strong, and they're getting stronger by the day. Count us in!"

"Whoa, hold on a minute!" Oujirou laughed. "I tell you what; the town has already chosen its delegates to spread the word, and they'll be starting out early tomorrow morning. Everyone else needs to stay here and protect the town!"

"Then that's what we'll do, right guys?" Hitomi cried.

"Yeah!" They all agreed in unison. Oujirou laughed.

"All right. You guys win. But you have to promise me something. Don't breathe a word of this to anyone. Not even your families. The number of people who are in on this aren't as many as you think. We couldn't risk getting everyone involved, because there's no telling what Neo Perfection might try in the effort of getting information. The less you know the better!"

They all agreed to do what Oujirou said, and after talking excitedly about what they should do to train themselves and become stronger, Kyo and Asuka decided they ought to go home for the night. Hitomi and Oujirou saw them out, and then they went back inside to fix themselves dinner. Hitomi felt as though a fire inside her that had at one point been extinguished was once again burning brightly. She was ready. With Péle's and everyone's help, she was ready to take on her parents' killers, and put a stop to them for good!


	4. Chapter 4: Neo Perfection Makes Its Move

Hitomi, Péle, and Oujirou stayed up a good while longer that night to discuss what had happened to Hitomi's parents. Péle had been there when the two had led the charge against Neo Perfection, and he had even participated in the battle. He was able to fill them in on more details than Oujirou was aware of, so they both listened to him with interest. As it had turned out, the surprise attack had been the Elder's idea, and thanks to his sensing the intentions of Hitomi's parents, they had been able to team up very easily to pull it off. Péle was proud of their victory, but he didn't seem comfortable with the casualties.

"It taboo kill human," he explained to them. "But Elder and Hitomi mama and papa agree it only way. Hypnosis not permanent. It could be fixed by bad ones. Bad ones already kill human friends, so Hitomi mama and papa say it justice."

"I can't imagine my parents' ever wanting to kill anyone," Hitomi said quietly. "They were always so gentle... but they did have a strong sense of justice. Maybe the ones on the Project Mind Meld team were all bad eggs anyway."

"Well, I wouldn't worry about it now," Oujirou said thoughtfully. "What's done is done. Assuming Neo Perfection was able to de-hypnotize that one grunt that your parents let escape, they'll be back here for revenge before too long. And they'll come back to your village too, Péle."

"That what Péle and village fear," he replied. "We know this ever since Hitomi mama and papa die."

"I'll discuss it with the council tomorrow," Oujirou assured him. "We'll try and come up with a way of protecting both your village and our city from Neo Perfection. But for now, it's getting late. Why don't we call it a night and go to bed?"

"All right," Hitomi agreed. "I am a little sleepy."

Oujirou gave her the crutches he'd retrieved from their former resting place on the ground, and with his help, she made it up to her bedroom and into bed. Oujirou chuckled when he saw that the Pokéchow was still smeared on the wall, with the shattered plate below it. He cleaned up the mess, and after giving Hitomi's forehead a quick good night kiss, he left her and Péle alone.

"You don't have to sleep on my chest, you know," Hitomi grumbled at Péle as he hopped diligently up onto his usual position. "They're not going to come in and snatch me up during the night, are they?"

Péle didn't answer her. He just stared fixedly at her with a look that gave a distinct impression that he was NOT about to move. Hitomi sighed irritably. She wasn't a child, no matter what her grandfather might think. And she wasn't weak, either. She didn't need protection – not this kind anyway. She had her friends, and she had her grandfather. She'd feel a lot better if she had her parents too, but even so, she felt safe enough. The last thing she wanted was to have a Pokémon perching on her chest every night, even if it was only Péle.

Still, feeling that it would be more effort than she was willing to give to get him off her, she let it slide. Maybe tomorrow she could get her grandfather to give her a Pokéball to keep Péle in at night. She grinned sleepily. That would be nice. Maybe he'd like it too. They made them pretty cozy nowadays, or so she'd heard. She drifted into a dreamless sleep, the grin fading but lingering a bit on her face as she nodded off.

Péle's eyelids were drooping a bit too. He hadn't had much sleep lately, so understandably, he was also pretty tired. He fought it off as long as he could, but before long, he too was sleeping soundly atop Hitomi's rising and falling chest.

He didn't sleep long, however. He awoke with a start as the elder's voice boomed inside his head.

"Péle!" He cried. "Péle, wake up! Look sharp now! They're making their move!"

Péle squawked abruptly as his senses came back to him and he began to realize what the elder had just said. "Move? What move?" He asked frantically. "The bad ones?! They come?!"

"Yes!" The elder replied, his powerful, deep voice ringing inside Péle's brain. "They have come for you, Péle! For you and the girl! You must flee the city at once!"

Suddenly, Péle's psychic abilities kicked in, and he began to sense what the elder was talking about. His feathers bristled with energy. The elder was right. Something big was happening, and he had little time to react to it. He leapt up onto Hitomi's face and grabbed onto her cheeks with his tiny feet. Screeching and beating his tiny wings furiously, he initiated his teleportation technique, and in a split-second both he and Hitomi disappeared, leaving an empty bed and an empty room. As the depressions in the mattress began to fill in and settle back into position, the event that both Péle and the elder had predicted took place – an event that was so wide-scale that it immediately affected the entire city of Fortree.

Hitomi awoke with a grunt as she suddenly found herself not in her bed, but on hard, cold ground, and with a tiny bird Pokémon clinging to her face and screeching loudly. Shrieking in confused panic, her hands flew to her face – the purpose of which to dislodge the frightening object from her person. But Péle had anticipated this. He hopped up just in time to avoid her hands, causing Hitomi to smack herself in the face. As he made a neat landing on the ground next to her, Hitomi yelped in pain and sat bolt upright, staring wildly at the unfamiliar sight that met her eyes.

"Wha… what? Who…? Where am I? Mom!" She babbled frantically. She was in a clearing in what appeared to be a kind of forest. The ground was hard and covered with moss, pebbles, twigs, and leaf litter, and there didn't seem to be anyone around, except her and Péle. Péle! This must have been his doing!

She was about to yell at him to demand what the hell he'd just done to her, when she saw something that stole her words and made her blood turn to ice. Like a hailstorm of green, hundreds of bird Pokémon dropped noisily down from the trees to the ground in a wide circle all around them. Hitomi looked on, frozen in terrified silence as the multitude of Natu and Xatu grew and surged toward them – their wide eyes gleaming like beacons in the moonlight.

Hitomi found her voice again. Covering her face with her arms, she began to scream in terror. She screamed more loudly than she'd ever screamed before. She screamed so loudly in fact, that the entire circle of bird Pokémon began tumbling and scrambling backwards in an effort to get away. The sound of Hitomi's screaming - coupled with the loud beating of wings and surprised cries of the Pokémon - filled the forest and roused nearly every living creature within a mile's distance. Péle too had been spooked by her screams, but it only took him a couple of seconds to regain his composure. As he began hopping up and down furiously, trying to get Hitomi's attention, a loud, commanding voice boomed through the clearing, silencing everything within just a matter of seconds.

"Calm yourselves!" It thundered in their minds, causing every Pokémon present to immediately halt what it was doing and stand stock still. Even Hitomi was shocked into silence, but she didn't uncover her face. She remained where she was, trembling like a leaf and crouching low as if she expected to be attacked at any moment.

An old Xatu swooped down from a large pine ten or so yards behind Hitomi, landing softly and silently beside her. His feathers were worn and faded, and the feathers on the tips of his wings were jagged and somewhat uneven. There were noticeable dark lines around his eyes where the tiny facial feathers had begun to molt away, and his crest feathers were nearly as ragged as his wings. But despite his worn, tired appearance, one could immediately sense something powerful and magisterial about this Pokémon. He was indeed very old, and it looked as though his age had yielded him much experience and wisdom throughout the years. All of this was clearly visible in the way he handled himself as he held up his wings before the crowd of agitated birds and acquired their immediate attention.

"Calm yourselves!" He said again. "Can you not see that you are frightening her? Stand back and wait for her to calm down! She will meet you all in due time!"

Hitomi did uncover her head this time, and she yelped when she noticed how very close he was to her. He had flown down so silently that she hadn't even noticed him land beside her. Her cry of alarm caused him to turn around, and he offered her a deep, gracious bow.

"Forgive me and my people," he began in a more calming, less thunderous voice. "We mean you no harm. They are all very anxious to meet you, and allowed their excitement to get the better of them."

"I… I see…" she said faintly, still leaning away from him as though she expected him to pounce on her at any moment. "Wh… who are you? Why did you bring me here?"

"I am Quetzal," he replied, bowing again. "I am the elder of this village. I am also Péle's father," he added, resting a wing atop Péle's head and rolling him over in a playful way. Péle chirped with surprise and nipped playfully at the tips of Quetzal's wing feathers, kicking his tiny feet in the air and trying to roll himself back upright with his stubby wings.

"Father?" Hitomi cried, gaping at Péle in surprise. "You're his father?!"

"Indeed. But that only answers one of your questions. The other one will take a longer explanation, I'm afraid. You see, I was the one who asked Péle to bring you here, because your city was about to be conquered by Neo Perfection."

"What?" Hitomi shrieked, her eyes opening even wider than they already were. "Conquered?! Just like that? All at once?"

"Yes," Quetzal replied, bowing his head sadly. "It's already been done, I'm afraid. The entire city has been taken."

"Taken? But… but I don't understand what you mean! How could Fortree be 'taken?' How did it happen, and how do we stop it?"

"It cannot be stopped," Quetzal said gravely. "Not yet. We don't have the power. As for how it was done, it's rather complicated. It involved many psychic Pokémon and their trainers, and it was all done in a matter of seconds. They've used their power to completely enclose the city within a psychic barrier, and hypnotize its residents into thinking and doing exactly what they want them to."

"Is that even POSSIBLE?" Hitomi cried. Quetzal nodded. "But what's going to happen to all the people of the city? It's just me they were after, isn't it? What are they going to do to everybody when they don't find me there?"

"It not just Hitomi," Péle interjected, finally rolling himself upright. "They want keep town quiet. Too many know about plans."

"That's right," Quetzal agreed. "They had to keep your people from sending word about Neo Perfection to the other strong Pokémon trainers of this land. If too many powerful people find out about them now, their plans might be thwarted."

"So what's to become of my friends?" Hitomi cried hysterically. "Asuka! Kyo! Grandpa! And everyone else! They could just kill them all!"

"They could," Quetzal mused, nodding and closing his eyes. "But I don't think they will. Not yet, at least. They still have to gather information from them. And besides, they may intend to use your town as a base of operations. If that's the case, they're going to need people to use as laborers in their workshops. I've gotten word from my spies that similar things have been happening in smaller towns already. This is the first large city I've heard of them trying this in, but it's not impossible."

"This is unreal," Hitomi muttered weakly, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "Isn't there anything we can do about it?"

Quetzal stared at her with a calm, calculating gaze. "Yes, there is," he replied. "But it will be very dangerous, especially for you."

"Dangerous?" Hitomi repeated, blanching slightly. "Well… well, I don't care! I'll do it! I've already lost my parents, and I'm sure as hell not going to lose everyone else I care about!"

Quetzal looked almost as though he was beaming at her. "Indeed!" He cried. "You are most definitely your parents' daughter! I'm honored to meet you at last!"

"Er… I'm honored to meet you too," she replied stiffly, feeling silly because she had the inclination to bow, even though she was sitting down. "I'm sorry I screamed at you. I'm not very comfortable around strange Pokémon."

The crowd of birds around them all began talking excitedly and hopping up and down. Apparently that had been the signal they were looking for.

"It okay!" Cried one.

"Don't be afraid!" Cried another.

"We help Hitomi!" Came yet another exclamation.

Pretty soon they were all shouting things at her, some more intelligible than others. Quetzal raised his wings again for silence, and after they had all settled down again, he turned back toward Hitomi.

"Our people are a proud race," he explained to Hitomi. "We do not like being in anyone's debt, and after your parents helped us escape from Neo Perfection, we promised them that we would repay them someday. We're all in agreement about this. We're going to help you save your city and stop Neo Perfection for good!"

Again the crowd of birds erupted into excited chirping and yelling. And again Quetzal had to calm them down. Hitomi stared in wonder at all the earnest, excited faces around her. She couldn't believe there were so many Pokémon that wanted to help her out. How could a bunch of mindless monsters do something like this? She was both ashamed and grateful – ashamed because she had misjudged Pokémon so wrongly, and grateful that she wasn't going to have to do whatever she had to do alone. Suddenly she realized she didn't really know exactly what she WAS going to do.

"Thank you! Thank you all!" She cried gratefully. "I don't know how to express how much it means to me! But what is it exactly that we need to do? I'm afraid I don't know where to start!"

"Why not start with Grandpa plan?" Péle remarked, his voice slow and rather unsure. "We take message to strong trainer?"

"You're learning," Quetzal replied, poking Péle playfully. "Good thinking. I was going to suggest that very thing!"

Péle beamed, but Hitomi just frowned. "I won't be able to help much, will I?" She muttered dejectedly. "With my sprained ankle I can hardly get around. By the time I get to even one of the places I need to go, it may be too late for Fortree!"

"Not to worry," the elder said kindly. "I've thought of that as well." He turned toward the trees behind them and made a couple of odd waving motions with his flag-like wings. Hitomi heard an odd rustling and thumping, and out from the trees glided an enormous flying Pokémon. It sailed down into the clearing for a landing, and nearly squashed some of the Xatu and Natu, who scattered noisily and grumpily to escape being trampled.

Hitomi gaped at the enormous creature as she tried to remember what it was called. She knew she'd seen them in Pokémon school… In fact, she was sure that Winona had one too…

The Pokémon was a large quadruped with a long neck and four separate wings that looked like large palm fronds. It had what appeared to be some kind of yellow fruit hanging from its face, which was nearly completely covered with a deep green, leafy skin. It stared back at Hitomi with small yet bright eyes, and suddenly it began walking toward her, taking large, loping strides. Hitomi felt herself stiffen as the same old fear came back.

"Don't be afraid," Quetzal told her reassuringly. "This Tropius is our friend, and she's very gentle. Her name is Verdiana."

Regardless, Hitomi felt her heart race as the massive creature (nearly twice as tall as she was) lumbered up to her and bent her neck down to sniff Hitomi interestedly. She nudged Hitomi's pajama shirt with her nose and snorted, startling Hitomi and causing Péle to giggle. Verdiana must have thought this was a good joke too, because she reared up on her hind legs and beat her wings, her face cracking into a wide, open smile. Hitomi was too scared to see any humor in it, though.

"She's enormous!" She squeaked, jerking away in case Verdiana's front legs might miss their mark and crush her own. "How is she going to help us?"

"Hold on a moment," Quetzal laughed. "She doesn't know yet either. Give me a chance to ask her." He walked over to Verdiana and chirped at her a few times, making several signals with his wings as he did. Verdiana listened intently to what he had to say, and then she nodded vigorously, sounding a low-pitched, blaring cry in return. She turned to Hitomi and vigorously nudged her head in between her arm and her body.

"Woah, hey!" Hitomi cried, trying to push her away. "What are you doing to me?!"

"She wants you to let her help you to your feet," Quetzal chuckled. "Sorry about that, but she can be a bit blunt about things. Why don't you put your arm over her neck and let her help you up? It'll make her happy."

Gulping, Hitomi did as he asked, and the Tropius gently lifted its neck and pulled Hitomi upright. Hitomi let go of her neck and winced as she rested part of her weight on her sore ankle. She looked up at Verdiana and limped a couple of involuntary steps backward.

"Verdiana has agreed to carry you to wherever you want to go," Quetzal explained. "She will also help protect you from wild Pokémon, and should the need arise, other Pokémon trainers. She may be gentle, but she's also very powerful, and you may find her useful in difficult situations."

"Why would she agree to help me?" Hitomi mused aloud. "She doesn't even know me!"

"She's very bright, actually," he replied. "She can sense the purity of a human's heart almost as well as we can. I think she must have taken a liking to you because she can sense that you're well-meaning and kind."

"That… that can't be right," Hitomi said, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Maybe she just likes the smell of my pajamas or something."

Quetzal just smiled. "Whatever the case, she's agreed to help you, so now you don't have to worry about walking on that injured foot. Verdiana will carry you on her back, both in the air and on the ground. It should be a very pleasant, comfortable ride."

"Thank you," Hitomi said, stretching a tentative hand out to pat Verdiana's neck. The large Pokémon made a pleasant, throaty growl of pleasure, and bent down to nudge Hitomi's cheek with her head. Hitomi could smell the sweet perfume of her fruit-laden head, and it had an almost calming effect on her. Unknowingly, she began to smile.

Verdiana settled herself down on her knees, and lowered her two left wings down to the ground, nearly bowling over a small section of Natu and Xatu with the large draft created by this action. She looked at Hitomi expectantly. It seemed as though she wanted her to climb up onto her back.

Hitomi glanced back at Quetzal and Péle hesitantly. What should she do? "Am I going to leave tonight?" She asked them.

"I'm afraid so," Quetzal replied. "We're only about twenty miles away from Fortree. It's only a matter of time before Neo Perfection sends a group out to find our village again. We had planned a migration from the beginning, ever since we heard that your parents had been killed. It will be hard for us to leave our birthplace, but as I said before, our people are a proud race. We will not allow ourselves to become mindless drones of Neo Perfection."

"You mean, you're all coming?" She gasped in surprise. Quetzal nodded. Hitomi stared first at him, then Péle, then at the rest of the Natu and Xatu. They all gazed back at her, watching to see what she would do next. Hitomi felt a stab of pity for them. She knew what it was like to have no other choice but to leave the place where you grew up. She wanted to say something comforting, but she couldn't find the words. Still, she didn't have to, as all of the Pokémon around her were able to sense her feelings. Many of them bowed their heads at her, as if to thank her for her thoughts.

"You'd better get on," Quetzal urged her. "We'd like to get started as soon as possible. We don't want to be seen flying en masse in the daytime."

Nodding, Hitomi limped over to Verdiana's left side and clambered up onto her back, drawing in a breath as she bent her ankle a bit too much in the process. Finally, she crossed her legs and slid into a comfortable place in between Verdiana's two pairs of wings. The great creature rose to her feet and waited, watching Quetzal patiently for the signal to take off.

The Natu began clamoring around, each one hopping up onto the back of a Xatu, digging its tiny claws into the back feathers and getting a good hold. Hitomi watched with interest, as she'd never really thought about how a large group of bird Pokémon, including non-flyers, would be able to migrate. Péle looked up at Quetzal.

"Péle ride with Hitomi?" He begged him, hopping up and down with excitement.

"Would you mind?" Quetzal asked her apologetically. "I'm afraid my son is rather insistent about certain things, and he's become somewhat infatuated with you. Still, I can carry him if you'd prefer to ride alone."

"No, no… it's okay," Hitomi replied, holding up her hands. "I won't mind; he can ride with me!" She was kind of doubtful about the ragged old Pokémon's ability to carry Péle over a long distance, and didn't like the prospect of watching him struggle through the air with Péle on his back.

Péle let out a chirp of joy and bounded to Verdiana, who lowered her head and let him leap onto it. As she raised her head, he hopped across her neck and into Hitomi's lap, snuggling in as if it was the most natural place in the world for him. Hitomi was more than just a little taken aback by his bold maneuver, and could find no words to express the mixed feelings and emotions his actions had caused in her. Still, she didn't get much time to contemplate them, because after a few moments, Quetzal let out a loud squawk and a telepathic, "Now!" and everyone took off. Hitomi gasped and slapped her hands down onto Verdiana's back as the great Pokémon beat her large, leafy wings and bobbed upward. Before long, she and all the Xatu were rising high in the sky, leaving the treetops farther and farther below them.

Hitomi had never been acrophobic; she lived in a town comprised of tree houses, after all. But even she felt quite uneasy riding atop this strange Pokémon as they rose higher and higher in the sky. Finally, Quetzal gave the call to stop ascending, and they all began a lateral flight path toward the western horizon. As she looked on with great interest at all the Xatu flying around her – each with one or two Natu clinging tightly to his or her back – Hitomi began to forget her fear, if only just a little. It was all very interesting and distracting, so it shouldn't surprise anyone to know that she had temporarily forgotten all about her plight, and the chance that she may never see her friends, grandfather, or Fortree City ever again.


	5. Chapter 5: Welcome to Petalburg City!

Despite the broad, sweeping strokes of Verdiana's wings, Quetzal had been mostly right - it really was a comfortable ride. Were it not for the time of year and the altitude of their flight, Hitomi might have been comfortable enough to doze a bit. Unfortunately though, it was actually very chilly, and even though she was fairly tolerant of sitting on the large flying Pokémon, she wasn't comfortable at all in the cold, gusty air. In less than a half an hour, she was already shivering and chattering her teeth.

"Wh-where are we g-going?" She chattered down at Péle, who seemed quite cozy in his thick, downy coat of feathers.

"To Elder last home," he replied with a yawn. "He only one who knows way. We all follow."

"How f-far away is it?" She pressed him, wondering how long she'd have to stay out in the cold night air with only her pajamas to protect her skin. "Is it a l-long f-flight?"

"Péle not know," he replied, glancing up at her curiously. "Hitomi all right?"

"It's... s-so cold up h-here. I wish I had a j-jacket!"

Péle looked toward the head of the flock where his father was flying, and his feathers bristled a bit. Suddenly the elder's powerful voice boomed in their minds, quite noticeably startling Hitomi.

"I apologize for the uncomfortable weather," he said to her. "There was no time to get you some protective clothing from your house. We can't stop now, as there's no safe place for us all to hide down below. But hopefully within the next hour we'll come across another forest where we can lie low for tomorrow. If it's near a town, you'll need to go buy yourself some clothes."

"That w-won't be easy. I d-don't have any m-money."

"Leave that to me," he replied. "I have an idea to help with that. But for now, I'd suggest you stretch out along Verdiana's back, and let her body heat warm you as much as it can. Péle, I'm coming back there now. Why don't you hop up onto my back for the rest of tonight's journey?" He began to slow his pace, and he fell back towards them until he was flying alongside Verdiana. But Péle dug his small toenails into Hitomi's legs and narrowed his eyes at Quetzal.

"Me no leave Hitomi!" He shot at him with a petulant squawk. "Péle ride on Hitomi back!"

Hitomi gaped first down at Péle, and then over at Quetzal. She thought for a moment she noticed a flicker of anger in the old bird's wise eyes.

"That time I was asking," he began, his voice notably more stern. "And this time I'm telling you. You can't ride on her back. She hasn't any feathers for your feet to cling to. I know you want to protect her, but Verdiana will do a fine job of keeping her safe up here. Now come on, son. Don't make me tell you again."

"No! Hitomi mine! I protect Hitomi!" Péle yelled, screeching and violently beating his stubby wings. Hitomi jumped in surprise and leaned back reflexively. When she realized Péle wasn't hurting her, she shook her head. He reminded her of Asuka's bratty little brother when he was having one of his tantrums. Suddenly it dawned on Hitomi that Péle might not be very old either. He was strong enough to teleport her around, but maybe he was still a child in Natu age. She sighed again. Perhaps it would help matters if she got involved. Hesitating at first, she cautiously cupped her hands around his squirming body, folded his wings onto his sides, and held him still. He cut his eyes up at her in surprise, his expression confused and accusing.

"Péle," she said, choosing her words carefully and trying her best to sound as kind and calm as possible. The memory of Asuka's pecked hands popped up in her mind and she gulped. "I know you want to protect me. But who's going to protect me if you lose your hold and fall? What if you get hurt? That would... that would make me sad..." As she struggled to get the words out, she realized that the true difficulty wasn't in making him believe her. Instead, it was in her coming to realize that she meant it. It confused her, and she involuntarily let go of him as the words sunk in further. It was true. She really would be upset if he fell... especially if it was because he wanted to be with her. The very idea of it sent cold shivers down her spine, and she wrapped her arms around her chest, hunching over a bit. She stared down at Péle - seeing him but not really seeing him. Had she actually developed FEELINGS for this Pokémon?

Childish though he was, Péle seemed to understand what was going on in Hitomi's mind. He hopped up and nuzzled against her. "It okay, Hitomi." His voice was calmer now, and seemed to have a warm tenderness she'd never heard there before. "Péle understand now. I ride Papa tonight. I do what Hitomi say!"

Staring down at him as if in a daze, all she could do was nod in approval. Péle leapt down off of her lap and hopped around behind her. Quetzal flew around behind Verdiana carefully, so as to avoid her great wings. With a determined chirp, Péle leapt off of Verdiana's hind quarters and landed neatly onto his father's back. He turned himself around and got a good hold as Quetzal flapped harder and moved forward, back to his place at the head of the flock.

"Go ahead and lie down," he told Hitomi. "And if you can, try to get a little rest. There's no telling what may happen tomorrow."

Hitomi did as he asked, and found to her relief that doing so seemed to shield her from most of the chilly wind gusts. Verdiana was indeed warm, and her skin, although rough near her joints, wasn't unpleasant to touch. Although she bobbed up and down as she flew, it wasn't a very uncomfortable way to ride at all. Before she knew it, Hitomi's eyelids grew heavy, and it wasn't long before she had fallen into a quiet, peaceful sleep.

Quetzal smiled as he sensed her drift off. He was well aware that, unlike most Pokémon, humans were very fragile creatures and required extra amenities in order to survive. His own human had been the same way. He had explained all this to Péle several times before, and the young bird had seemed to understand it very well. It appeared as though he had made the right choice in allowing his son to become the girl's protector. There were many warriors in the village who might have made stronger guards than Péle, but he was certain his instincts had been right on the mark. She was not very trusting, and for that reason, it seemed as though diminutive Péle was a better fit for her personality than one of the imposing, strong warriors of the village might have been. After all, it was beginning to look as though she might be crawling out of her protective shell at last - if only to open up a bit more to Péle. For Quetzal, that was more than enough proof to show that he had made the right choice.

As for Péle, he was practically dancing on a cloud. Hitomi cared about him! She wanted him to protect her! These new revelations had him nearly giddy with joy and determination. He couldn't wait to prove to her that as long as she had him around, no one would ever harm her, especially the bad ones!

-----------------------------------

Hitomi didn't wake up even once for the rest of the night, so Quetzal thought it best to forgo the option of stopping early, and they continued on until dawn. By the time they settled for the day into the western flank of a large forest, the sun was already beginning to peep up at them over the eastern horizon.

They landed in a small clearing, making much scuffling and twig-snapping as they did. When Verdiana's great bulk met the earth with a dull, jarring thud, it instantly roused Hitomi from her slumber and nearly caused her to fall off. But Verdiana's great wings rose sharply to keep her from sliding off onto the ground. Mumbling something unintelligible, Hitomi struggled up onto her knees, rubbing her eyes and staring blearily at the new scenery.

"Where are we?" She asked Quetzal, gingerly sliding down off of Verdiana and grabbing onto a leafy wing as she stumbled onto her feet. "Are we near a city?"

"Yes," he replied, leaning over as Péle leapt off of his back and bounced joyfully over to Hitomi's side. "We're a few miles from this forest's edge, which borders Petalburg city. It's not a large town, but you should be able to find the supplies that you need there, as well as a few things I must ask you to purchase for us."

"I'd be happy to," Hitomi said with a worried frown. "But I still don't have any money. Didn't you mention something before about a plan to get some?"

Quetzal shot her what appeared to be a shrewd grin. "I've learned a lot about human behavior," he began, ruffling his plumage in a proud sort of way. "My former trainer and I used to do everything together - including making money. With the help of some strong Pokémon, it's not very difficult."

"We're... we're not going to steal it, are we?" Hitomi gasped, gulping as she thought about what her parents might say at that. Quetzal chuckled again.

"Of course not," he replied with a twinkle in his eye. "You're going to battle other Pokémon trainers, and when you win, they'll give you money."

"What?" Hitomi cried. "You mean… I'm going to have to act like your trainer?" Quetzal nodded in reply. "Ooog," she moaned, sinking to her knees and resting her forehead in one hand. "We're in trouble now."

"What wrong?" Péle exclaimed, hopping up in front of her and peering curiously up at her face. "Hitomi hurt?"

"It's not that," she sighed. "Of all the people you guys could get as a trainer, it was me. I'm probably the WORST one for the job. I flunked nearly all of my tests in Pokémon school. I don't know any of your attacks. I didn't even know what a Natu WAS until I met Péle!"

"Don't worry," Quetzal said kindly, nodding his head at her. "We'll manage on our own if need be. Our people are fierce battlers when the occasion presents itself, and we've got psychic power on our side. Although it WOULD be easier if you could give us direction during the battle, even without it, we shouldn't have much trouble holding our own. There is one thing, though," he added, staring fixedly at her. "We won't be able to communicate with you while other people are nearby. Our telepathy can be easily intercepted by other trainers and their Pokémon if they get close enough to us. I can focus my thoughts on one specific person at a time, but it takes a great deal of concentration and energy, and so far, none of the rest of my flock can achieve that level of mastery yet. When we battle, we'll hear your commands, but we won't answer you back."

"I should have known it was too good to be true," Hitomi sighed. "All right then. I suppose I can fake being your trainer. If I give the wrong command, I could always just say that your level is too high and you're being disobedient."

Quetzal laughed. "First of all, it won't be me battling. I need to stay here with my people and protect this area from anyone or anything that might wander too close. You will take Péle and Verdiana with you. Any more than that might look suspicious, considering you don't have any Pokéballs."

"Oh," she said, nodding as she understood the sense of his words. "Will they be enough?"

"It depends on the battle," he replied, eying Péle. "Péle will give you a signal if the trainer you encounter is one they will be able to defeat."

"Okay! Péle will chirp two time!" He piped up, hopping up and down excitedly. "We make lots of monies!"

"Good," Quetzal cooed approvingly. He walked over to Péle and patted him with one wing. "I'm counting on you to use good judgment, son. There is no shame in walking away from battles you can't win. You two will have to stay strong not only to battle, but also to protect Hitomi. If you lose a battle, you will have to forfeit half of your earnings, just as your opponent will if he or she loses," he explained, turning back to Hitomi. "Now then. This is what I need for you to get for us. We'll need it before nightfall."

He gave Hitomi a list of three items - fifty pounds of Pokéchow, ten super potions, and ten Pokéballs. He also explained that Hitomi would need to find some way of bundling the supplies onto Verdiana's back so that they would remain there as she flew. All this was to be in addition to some new clothes and food for Hitomi.

"If Verdiana or Péle get tired or too weakened to battle, you'll have to take them to the Pokémon center in Petalburg," he added. "I can't sense the presence of evil from that town, so I'm sure the center is safe."

"All right," Hitomi agreed. "I'll do it. We'll do it!"

"Yeah!" Péle cried, leaping as high as he could into the air. "We complete mission no time!"

"Good luck," Quetzal bid them as Hitomi and Péle climbed up onto Verdiana's back. Verdiana snorted impatiently, as if she couldn't wait to get up into the sky. "Don't take unnecessary risks, you three, and come back safely, whether your mission is a success or not!"

"Right!" Hitomi called out as Verdiana beat her great wings and slowly rose skyward. "Don't worry! We'll be careful!"

As they rose above the treetops, Quetzal watched them, his face finally beginning to show signs of nervousness. There were many dangers out there, whether he could sense Neo Perfection or not. And although Verdiana was a solid battler, Péle had little practical experience. The anxiousness of a father wasn't very forgiving, it seemed.

---------------------------------

"Maybe we should just track down a random trainer and ask him to battle." Hitomi mused aloud. "Can you sense any trainers nearby, Péle?"

"Many. Too many for Péle focus right. We fly down to city first? Visit shop - find out monies we need?"

"Good thinking. Oh! There it is!" Hitomi cried, pointing to a sleepy little city beyond the forest's edge. "It's a lot easier to spot from high up! Uh... Verdiana? Do you think you could take us down theeeerrrree!!!" She screamed as Verdiana dove toward the city, blaring at her in delight. She must have gotten excited about being given a request by Hitomi.

"Not so fast!" Hitomi shrieked, fearing she'd lose her grip on Verdiana's featureless back and drop to her doom. "Slow it down, will ya?!"

Verdiana did as she asked, but only after dropping another hundred feet. Hitomi couldn't understand why Winona liked flying Pokémon so much. Flying was terrifying!

"The Pokémon Mart is that building with the blue roof," she panted. "Go ahead and land on the right side of it... there doesn't seem to be anyone around this early in the morning, so I don't think we'll draw too much attention."

Verdiana let out one of her throaty growls in assent. She swooped down and circled a couple times before sinking heavily and noisily onto the ground.

"Guh," Hitomi muttered, sliding off and steadying herself. "Flying's not for me."

"Hitomi get used to it," Péle said brightly, leaping down and hopping up alongside her. "Péle can't wait fly!"

"Right," Hitomi grumbled, rolling her eyes. She limped a few paces beyond the edge of the building and looked around. Not a soul could be seen. She turned and looked at Verdiana, putting her hands on her hips. "You stick out like a sore thumb," she muttered thoughtfully. Verdiana just reared up joyfully and beat her wings at her. It seemed as though she was a glutton for any kind of attention. Hitomi smiled, despite herself. "Stay here," she sighed, unable to think of a way to hide her. "And don't get yourself caught by Pokémon trainers. If you see some people coming and you can't hide, you ought to fly back to where Quetzal and the others are staying. Péle and I can handle things in town; we won't need your help really badly until we start battling."

Verdiana snorted and nodded vigorously. Hitomi grinned. Okay, so at least she WAS smart like Quetzal had said. But she was just so big and clunky! Hitomi kept getting the impression that she didn't know her own strength, and could smash her without meaning to.

"Péle, I'm going to carry you inside," she continued, hobbling over to Verdiana's side. "I'll look more like a Pokémon trainer if I actually have a Pokémon with me. I can't bend over to pick you up, or I might lose my balance. It's hard enough to walk without crutches, but kneeling down to pick you up is out of the question. Could you get back up onto Verdiana's back so I can reach you?"

"Hooray!" He practically shouted at her, scrambling up Verdiana's lowered wing so quickly he nearly tripped and rolled off of the great beast. "Péle ready!" He cried excitedly, quivering like a hyperactive child. "Pick up!"

"D- don't peck me, okay?" Hitomi said nervously, reaching out and carefully cupping her hands underneath either side of him. She lifted him up and pulled him close to her chest. She hadn't noticed before, but she was amazed by how light he was. He couldn't have weighed more than a basketball.

"Péle never peck Hitomi," he cooed adoringly, wriggling a bit to get comfortable. "I protect, not peck!"

"I'm just saying, try not to freak out on me," she replied, gulping and limping away from Verdiana. "I'm pretty clumsy, and it's possible I might fall. If I lose my balance, I'll try my hardest not to squish you, so don't peck me!"

"Hitomi just toss Péle then," he giggled at her. "I plenty strong!"

"Here we go," she sighed, limping her way around the building and heading for the door. "Let's go ask about the cost of all the stuff we need."

She took small, careful steps, but it didn't take long to reach the large sliding door, which opened wide when the sensor caught her motion. She was surprised to find that although there wasn't anyone moving about outside, there was already a trainer shopping there. He was in the process of checking out.

"Welcome!" The shopkeeper cried, grinning at her. "Be with you in a minute!"

"Take your time!" Hitomi replied, trying to act normally. "I'm in no hurry!"

She limped over toward the counter and stood behind the boy, who was in the process of purchasing some potions and ultra balls. As she waited, she found herself looking at all the merchandise on the shelves within view, and musing that they didn't seem to have the selection here that Fortree's shop had. She was in the middle of this thought when it was interrupted.

"Ever been to Fortree?" The boy ahead of her asked her. It was such a sudden question, and so related to Hitomi's current thought that she answered without thinking.

"I live there," she began, and then suddenly realized what a grave mistake she'd made. Instantly her face flushed crimson and her mind raced as she tried to think of a cover. "I mean... I used to live there! My parents and I are moving, and I'm still not used to being away from the city!"

"Calm down girl," she told herself, trying to slow her racing heart. "There's no harm in a boy knowing where you're from. He's no danger to you." She looked up to see who she'd just answered, and for the briefest of moments, she thought she'd had the floor pulled out from under her. Standing in front of her was the most incredibly gorgeous boy she had ever laid eyes on. He had turned around to face her when he asked his question, and what a face it was! He was tall - at least a good four inches taller than she was, and judging from his build and the way he carried himself, he might be as old as seventeen. He might actually have been her age, but he seemed mature beyond his years... although why she thought that about a boy she had never met she couldn't tell. His hair was a soft, gentle brown, and his athletic but not overly muscular body looked VERY good in the form-fitting black shirt and loose khaki slacks that he wore. But even all this was overshadowed by his most striking feature - his eyes. They were a deep, jade green, and they had a haunting, indescribable intensity burning within them. She stared at them for only a few moments, but it was enough to send her senses reeling.

Feeling her face redden and her heart race again, Hitomi took an involuntary step backward. In doing so, she stepped with the wrong foot, and wound up putting too much weight on her injury. She was unable to entirely stifle the yelp that this action produced, and her knees buckled a bit. However, she managed to keep from losing her balance and dropping Péle, and she jerkily returned to a normal standing position. Panting slightly from the dull ache that now throbbed in her foot and lower leg, she looked up at the boy apologetically.

"You're injured!" He gasped in surprise. "And... you're in your pajamas?"

No shade of red that had ever taken root in Hitomi's face could possibly rival the one that settled in now. "Er..." She stammered, trying to think quickly. "Well, I went on ahead of my parents with my Pokémon, hoping to catch a few of the local ones for my collection. But I got attacked by wild Pokémon during the night, and they made off with my clothes and supplies. All I have with me now is my two Pokémon and the clothes I'm wearing."

"Genius, Hitomi," She thought with a hidden grin. "Pure genius."

"That's terrible!" The shopkeeper exclaimed, peering around the boy to stare at her. "How long ago was this?"

"Last night," she lied. "I was lucky enough to be close to this city when it happened, so I didn't have to come far. But I'd sprained my ankle while helping my parents pack, and it's making things difficult."

"I have to wonder what kind of parents would allow their daughter to go off on her own with a sprained ankle?" The boy mused, studying her with a cool, calculating gaze. "It doesn't make a lot of sense, wouldn't you say?"

Hitomi laughed nervously. "Yeah, well, I'm not a kid," she laughed, trying to sound bold and nonchalant. "My parents know that. I can take care of myself."

"Hm. Well, in any case, it's obvious that you need some help in that department now," he chuckled, shooting her a fiendish grin. "Put whatever she needs on my account," he said, glancing back at the shopkeeper. "You know I'm good for it."

"I... I can't accept that!" Hitomi gasped, nearly dropping Péle in astonishment.

"I never asked if you could, did I?" The boy replied, picking up his bag of items and turning to leave. "I'll let you in on something about me. I ALWAYS get what I want." With that he left the shop, and left a dumbfounded and very flustered Hitomi behind.

"What... what's with him?" Her bewilderment was more than obvious. "I don't even know his name!"

"That's Genji Miyamoto," the shopkeeper replied, sounding very pleased indeed. Apparently he was already dreaming of all the merchandise he was about to sell to this young girl. "He's incredibly wealthy, but very few people know anything about him. No one seems to know where his money comes from, or exactly who he really is. But one thing's for certain - he does indeed get what he wants."

Hitomi just gaped at the door where Genji had left, and after a few moments, she sighed and shook her head. "Well, rich or not, I can't take advantage of his kindness like that," she sighed. "Besides," she added with an indignant toss of her hair, "I won't accept a gift from a boy who won't even tell me his own name!"

The shopkeeper's face fell dramatically. "I see," he sighed. "Well, I guess I should say that I admire your sense of honor. But I do wish you'd let me charge a few items to his account. He's quite right. He IS good for it."

Hitomi smiled and shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said. "But I can't. What I DO need is a price quote," she began, adopting a more serious expression. "I need fifty pounds of Pokéchow, ten super potions, and ten Pokéballs. But more importantly, I need a change of clothes. I can't run around with bare feet and nothing but pajamas forever," she laughed.

Well, the chow and the other items will cost you a little over nineteen thousand Pokébux," he said after punching some numbers into a small calculator. "As for the clothes, go ahead and pick out a set of clothes from the non-designer area. On the house."

"What?" Hitomi gasped. "Not you too!"

"It's not like that," he laughed, raising his hands. "It's just that I have a daughter close to your age at home, and if I ever found out she was having to run around in her PJs all the time, I'd want someone to get her into some real clothes right away!" His eyes twinkled at her and she knew that he wasn't going to take no for an answer. She gave him a broad smile.

"How about this," she began. "I'll take the clothes now, and after I make enough money to pay you back, I'll do that. Will that work?"

"Deal," the shopkeeper laughed, holding a hand out to shake. Hitomi tucked the silent, surprisingly obedient Péle under one arm and shook the shopkeeper's hand.

Thirty minutes later she left the store, dressed in a soft grey sweater and comfortable jeans, with one sneaker on her good foot, and the other tucked under her arm. She had a double layer of socks over her injured foot, but it was too swollen to fit into the shoe, so she left it off. Still cradling Péle in her other arm, she hobbled around to the side of the shop to find Verdiana, who was still waiting patiently for her.

"Glad to see you're still here," she laughed, limping over and climbing onto Verdiana's back - after setting Péle and her extra shoe up there ahead of her. "Next up: battling for Pokébux! I want to pay that kind old shopkeeper back for these clothes before we do anything else. After that we can worry about earning enough money for supplies!" Pelé didn't reply. He was staring at the rear corner of the Pokémon Mart building, and his feathers were bristling oddly. But Hitomi didn't notice. She held on tightly as Verdiana sang out with glee and beat her great wings furiously, taking them aloft. Before long they were sailing out of Petalburg and off to the west - away from the forest and toward a route that promised to yield plenty of trainers.

Genji stepped out from behind the adjacent rear corner of the Pokémon Mart and looked skyward. He smirked as he watched them fly off out of sight. She hadn't taken advantage of his offer after all. What an intriguing girl... He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cellular phone. He dialed a number and raised the phone to his ear, still watching the part of the sky where Hitomi had disappeared beyond his line of sight.

"It's me," he spoke into the phone. "Call off the search; I've found her. ... No, backup won't be necessary. It's me you're talking to, isn't it? Just proceed with the plan and leave me be. You secure the city and prepare it for my arrival. **I'll** handle the girl!"


	6. Chapter 6: The REAL Pokémon Battle

"You're being awfully quiet, Péle," Hitomi remarked as they made their way toward the route beyond Petalburg. "Are we still too close to people?"

"It not that," Péle replied, narrowing his eyes and staring ahead, as if deep in thought. "That human... the Genji. He make Péle feel weird."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Hitomi sighed, blushing a little as she remembered his face. "I wonder if I'll ever see him again?"

Péle didn't share his thoughts with her, but he hoped that neither Hitomi nor himself ever _would_ meet Genji Miyamoto again. Something about him just wasn't right, and Péle had caught the unmistakable essence of danger from his aura. He wasn't sure yet if it was an evil power, but it was dangerous power nonetheless.

Naturally, Hitomi had been oblivious to the danger. Péle couldn't have expected her to sense the same things he did, but he also couldn't understand why she'd behaved so strangely either. Her actions and emotions had been erratic... unpredictable. Her mind had been hard to read for the entire time she was around that strange human. Péle didn't like it, and he resolved to do everything in his power to keep it from happening again.

"This looks like as good a place as any," Hitomi said to Verdiana. "Let's land down there on that path, next to the road sign. And take it easy this time!" She added as she felt Verdiana plummet toward the earth. "I said land, not crash!"

They managed to land safely, despite Hitomi's concerns, and after she and Péle had dismounted, they took a look around. They were on a dirt path lined by trees and brush on either side. The dirt was highly compacted, as though it had been trod upon by many feet. This must have been a frequent path for Pokémon trainers coming from and going to Petalburg.

"Péle sense trainers!" He cried, temporarily forgetting his concerns about Genji. "Lots trainers!"

"Can you pick one out for us to battle?" Hitomi asked, beginning to feel butterflies wake up inside her stomach. "One that's not too hard to beat?"

"Follow Péle," he replied. "I let Hitomi know when find a good one!" He began hopping down the path, and Hitomi began limping after him.

"Not so fast, Péle," she called to him. "Come on, Verdiana. I'm going to try walking on my own feet, so you can save your strength for battling. Let's follow Péle!"

Verdiana grunted at Hitomi with a pleased expression on her face, and she lumbered along behind, blowing hot, moist air at her back at regular intervals. It made Hitomi rather uncomfortable to have such a lumbering giant behind her, while at the same time having no clear means of getting away should something go wrong. Still, she decided that she had no choice, and she tried to remind herself that Verdiana didn't seem as though she would try to hurt her. She hadn't so far.

Suddenly Péle began chirping excitedly, and he turned to face Hitomi, his expression practically glowing with anticipation. He must have found a trainer for them to challenge.

"Now hold still, little bugger," came a voice from behind some bushes along the path. "You're gonna make a great addition to my team!"

"Hold it!" Hitomi yelled, hobbling forward as fast as she could. "He's not a wild Pokémon! He belongs to me!"

"Aw, shoot," the voice replied. The bushes rustled and shook, and out popped a little boy with a very dejected face. "And he looks so cool too."

Hitomi laughed as Péle shot her a look as if to say "Péle _so_ cool!"

"Sorry about that," she chuckled at the boy. "We're out for a walk today." She pointed to Péle and then back toward Verdiana.

"Ah! So you're a Pokémon trainer!" The boy cried as something dawned on him. "That means you have to battle me! I challenge you! Maybe I can't catch him, but at least I'll get to see how he battles!"

"Okay then. I can't say no to that." Hitomi chuckled. The child couldn't have been more than nine or ten, and he was wearing a yellow t-shirt and some denim shorts. His sneakers were caked in mud, and his clothes were stained green and scratched up, just like his knees. He looked as though he'd already seen some action today.

"You're in trouble now," the boy laughed deviously. "I'm undefeated! Come on Ziggy! Show 'em what you've got!" He took a Pokéball off of his belt and punched the button on it. A beam of light shot out, and a Zigzagoon materialized in front of him. It growled excitedly and stared at Péle with interest.

"You're up, Péle!" Hitomi cried. "Stripey's got nothing on you!" Péle chirped joyously and hopped up and down, beating his wings furiously. He could scarcely contain his excitement.

"Ziggy! Kick some dirt at him! Knock down his accuracy!"

Ziggy did as he was told. After jamming his front claws into the hard dirt, he scooped some up and flung it at Péle. But Péle dodged to the left, missing most of the dirt clods. A little bit hit him in the side, but as it didn't come near his eyes, he was unaffected.

"Aw man!" The boy groaned. "Jumpy little bugger isn't he? His evasion must be pretty high!"

Hitomi didn't understand what that meant, but she thought she'd take advantage of the opportunity. "Péle! Attack the Zigzagoon with your... favorite attack!"

Péle chirped in reply, and he flapped his wings and bristled his feathers in preparation for his technique. With a loud squawk, he sent a psychic blast at the Zigzagoon. The poor thing had nowhere to flee, and he took the hit head-on. Within seconds he was on the ground, out cold.

"You've got to be _**kidding**_!" The boy hollered in angry disbelief. "What is that thing? It knows _Psychic_?! Not even Kadabra learn that until they're a few years old! That thing looks like it's just a hatchling!"

Péle hopped up and down and squawked at the boy indignantly. Hitomi got the impression that he didn't like being called a "hatchling."

"Is that what it was?" She mused. "I never knew what that attack was called;he just came with it. Maybe his parents taught it to him."

"I can't beat that thing," the boy sighed, pushing the button on his Pokéball again, causing the fainted Zigzagoon to be zapped back inside. "You win this time." He tucked the Pokéball back into its slot on his belt, and he reached into his pocket. "A battle's a battle. Here's your money." He handed her a single, crumpled, hundred pokébux bill. She stared down at it in disbelief. This was _half_ of his money? It wasn't even enough to buy a bottle of water!

"I spent all my money on Pokéballs," he grumbled, looking away. "Just be glad I have _that_ much left!"

"Maybe I shouldn't take this," she said aloud, feeling a stab of guilt about robbing the poor like this.

"You won that fair and square!" He snapped at her. "Don't you dare feel sorry for me! I'll show you! One day I'm going to be the league champion! Then you'll feel sorry all right! Sorry you didn't make it like I did!" With that he stormed off, heading in the direction of Petalburg city.

"I think I insulted him," Hitomi remarked as he disappeared down the path. "I should have just accepted the money and thanked him for the battle. Anyway, you were great, Péle! I had no idea you could battle like that!"

"Péle told Hitomi. I very strong! Papa teach Péle strong techniques. Péle strongest Natu in village!"

"Just the same, we need to save your strength for trainers that can pay us more money," she added, looking dejectedly down at the crumpled bill and sighing. "At the rate we're going, we might have enough money for my clothes in a week. But we need money for that _and_ the stuff Quetzal asked us to get."

"Péle pick stronger trainer then," he agreed. "That one very weak. He first trainer Péle find."

"I'm going to ride on Verdiana this time," Hitomi said, hobbling over to her and clambering up onto her back. "Come on up here too, Péle. Let's walk down the path and see if we can find a stronger trainer, okay?"

She didn't have to tell Péle twice. He bounded up to Verdiana and leapt into Hitomi's lap. He snuggled in happily and his crest feather twitched upward a bit as he glanced around. Verdiana loped forward, and they made their way down the path, keeping their eyes peeled and their ears open.

It wasn't long before they came to what looked like a rest area, with over a half a dozen sets of benches and tables. There were all kinds of people hanging out here, and most of them looked like Pokémon trainers. Péle fidgeted excitedly and gave Hitomi a sharp chirp to let her know that they'd arrived at a good place. She looked around a bit, and noticed that one of the people was a girl in designer clothing, and her arms and ears were dripping with expensive-looking jewelry. She was wearing a frilly dress and had on matching feminine gloves and a wide, sashed hat. Jackpot!

"How about her?" She whispered to Péle, pointing to the girl in question. Péle studied her for a bit, then he nodded and slapped Verdiana's back with his right wing, as if to say that it was her turn to battle. Hitomi understood.

"Come on, Verdiana," she said. "Let's ask her if she'd like to battle with us."

Verdiana snorted happily and trotted toward the wealthy girl, shaking the ground a bit as she went. When they walked up to her, the girl glared at them but didn't walk away.

"What do you want?" She drawled at Hitomi, her voice dripping with boredom and disdain. "I'm waiting for my daddy to come with lunch. Our chef is ill, so he's cooking lunch back at the house."

"Er... how about a Pokémon battle?" Hitomi asked her, feeling sorry for her chef. "It might help to pass the time."

"Oh, I **do** hope so, but I doubt it will," the girl sighed dramatically. "Such common-looking Pokémon as those couldn't possibly be a match for my little Snookums."

"Snookums?" Hitomi asked, trying to sound polite but doing everything she could not to burst out laughing. "Well, I'll try to give you a good battle. What do you say?"

"Oh very well," the girl sighed, her jewelry jingling a bit as she opened a lacy white purse and pulled out a Luxury ball. "Come out, Snookums darling! Mummy's found you some commoners to pummel!" She pressed the button on the ball and out popped a beautiful serpentine Pokémon. Hitomi knew she'd seen them before, but she couldn't remember the name.

"Simply gorgeous!" She remarked, gazing in wonder at the sheen of the Pokémon's pearlescent scales. "She's beautiful!"

"I'm sure someone of your station would think so," the girl replied with a smug grin. "Daddy bought this Milotic for me last week. She's very rare, as there are next to none at such a young age. He only buys me the best of everything, including Pokémon!"

"Verdiana, this one's yours," Hitomi told her, making a face as she thought about what life as one of this girl's Pokémon must be like. "Hang on a second and let Péle and I get out of your way." She limped away a bit, and the girl stepped back as well.

"I'll let you get a first shot in," she offered Hitomi with a graceful flick of her gloved hand. "It's only _sporting_, after all."

Hitomi grit her teeth. This girl was really getting on her nerves. "Verdiana, use a... a grass attack!" She cried, thinking about Verdiana's leaves and how they might be involved in one of her attacks. Verdiana paused for a moment, and then snorted in assent.

"Oh ho ho ho!" The girl laughed, covering her mouth ever so slightly with the back of her hand. "Don't you know your Pokémon's attacks?"

"Maybe not," Hitomi grumbled. "But don't worry. She does!" She pointed at Verdiana, whose leafy wings were vibrating and shaking oddly. Suddenly, Verdiana sounded a blaring cry, and a whirlwind of sharp, iridescent leaves shot forward at the Milotic, hitting it head-on. It gave a sharp, haunting cry of pain, and after writhing a bit, went limp and fell to the ground. It had been taken out in one hit!

"What?!" The girl cried in disbelief. "That... that's not right at all! Snookums! Snookums, you get up this very instant!"

"She's out like a light," Hitomi said, limping forward and peering down at her. "I think you need to get her to a Pokémon center."

"Don't patronize me, you filthy wretch," the girl snapped back at her. "Here! Take your winnings and go! When my father returns there'll be heck to pay! How dare he give me such a worthless Pokémon?!" She shoved a handful of bills into Hitomi's hand, zapped the Milotic back into the Luxury ball, and flounced off in a flurry of frills.

Hitomi giggled. She couldn't help thinking that the spoiled brat had gotten what she deserved, even if the Pokémon had taken the worst of it. She counted the money she'd been given, and cried aloud with glee. She'd just won over six thousand Pokébux!

"Come on, guys!" She exclaimed. "Let's keep going! We already have more than enough to pay the shopkeeper back for my clothes! Let's keep this up until we have enough for our supplies!" She hobbled over to Verdiana and grinned at her. "You were awesome!" She added, laughing as she got a snort in the face for a reply. "What the heck WAS that attack, anyway?"

"That was called Magical Leaf," came a familiar voice from behind her. They all turned to look at who had said that, and when she saw Genji Miyamoto there, leaning casually against a table, Hitomi felt her heart do a somersault. For some unknown reason, there were no longer any other trainers in the area, but oddly enough, Hitomi didn't seem to notice.

"Oh!" She cried, her face beginning to turn crimson. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to catch your battle, if you could call it that," he replied, pulling a Pokéball out of his pocket and toying around with it in his fingers. "I must say, I've never heard of a trainer who doesn't even know her own Pokémon's attacks. Lucky for you your opponent was in the same boat."

Hitomi's face turned even redder. She was still trying to think of something to say in reply when he continued.

"I wonder how you'd fare in a real battle though," he mused aloud, holding the Pokéball up to look at it, but glancing at her out of the corners of his eyes and grinning. "Your luck wouldn't do you any good then, would it?"

Péle squawked angrily, and he nipped at Hitomi's jeans, tugging them back, as if to pull her away from Genji. Verdiana could see that something was bothering Péle, and that this boy was the source of his fear. Her protective instincts took over, and she let out a low rumble at Genji. She stepped forward menacingly, walking up alongside Hitomi and raising her wings aggressively.

"What's gotten into you two?" Hitomi thought to herself. "This is the guy that tried to buy all of our supplies for us. You'd think he was trying to murder me or something."

"Your Pokémon seem willing enough," he continued, flashing them a grin. "What do you say? Would you like to battle?"

"Huh?" Hitomi gasped. "Battle you?" She sent him a confused look. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Don't be coy," he chuckled at her. "Aren't you a Pokémon trainer? I've issued you a challenge. You can either battle me, or you can forfeit and give me half of your money. It's your choice."

Hitomi's eyes opened wide. She hadn't expected him to force it on her like that. Still, she didn't want him to think she was weak, either. She'd already won her first two Pokémon battles. How hard could it be? Maybe he was just being overly confident like that rich girl had been.

"All right then," she agreed. "I'm not afraid to battle you. You're on!"

Péle made a kind of sighing, cooing sound. It didn't sound very positive. But Hitomi was sure this guy was just being overly confident. She'd show him how impressive she could be!

"Who should I choose first?" She mused, looking at both Péle and Verdiana as Genji stood upright and walked back a few paces. Péle looked down at the ground and gave a few halfhearted hops toward her.

"You wanna go first, Péle?" She asked him, not sure what to make of his body language. He chirped dully in reply, and he hopped out ahead of her toward Genji. Hitomi watched as Genji pushed the button on his Ultra ball and sent out his first Pokémon.

"You first, Alakazam," he ordered. The powerful Psychic Pokémon materialized yards away from Péle. It glared down at him menacingly, and Hitomi was sure she could see Péle begin to shiver. Suddenly she got the unsettling feeling that there was something very wrong here. But it was too late for misgivings now. She was already stuck.

"Alakazam, use Psychic," Genji called out to him.

"Péle, use Psychic too!" Hitomi yelled.

As the Alakazam's eyes began to glow red, Péle's feathers bristled spectacularly. He beat his wings and opened his beak to squawk. He never had a chance. Before he had made even the first sound, he suddenly went flying backwards, as though he'd been hit by an enormous shock wave. He went sailing over Hitomi's head and landed on the ground a few yards away, only to roll another ten or so before coming to a stop. She didn't have to see him stop rolling before she realized he wasn't going to get back up.

"Péle!" She shrieked. "Oh, Péle! What have I done?!" She limped as quickly as she could to where he lay, forgetting everything else for the moment. She lost her balance and tripped before she got to him, but she sprang back up onto her hands and knees and scrambled toward his scuffed-up body. Her hands shook as she rolled him right-side up and cupped her hands around his limp form. Her eyes filled with tears of relief as she felt his tiny heart beating through the feathers. He was alive. Thank God, he was still alive.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Verdiana's fearsome, enraged cries. She had taken up the fight against the Alakazam. Hitomi sniffled and got to her feet, still clutching Péle's unconscious body to her chest. She couldn't let Verdiana fall victim to the same fate as Péle. She had to call this off_ immediately_.

"**Enough**!" She screamed, hobbling over as fast as she could. "That is enough! I forfeit!"

"It's too late for that!" Genji laughed, his eyes flashing with excitement. "Your Tropius is beyond reason! She's gone berserk! I'm going to do you the favor of subduing her!"

Hitomi never once stopped to think about what she was doing. She marched right past the raging Pokémon battle all the way up to Genji. He looked down at her pale, livid expression and threw back his head and laughed at her. That was it. Hitomi had reached the boiling point. She drew back her free hand, and she slapped him squarely across the face.

All at once, it seemed as though time had stopped. Genji remained rooted in place, apparently too shocked by Hitomi's act to react to it. Hitomi curled her arm back around Péle and glared up at Genji, the tears stinging her eyes. How could he be so cruel? This wasn't the boy she had met back in the Pokémon mart. This was an inhuman monster!

"You... you _struck_ me..." He croaked. "No one... no one has _ever_ done such a thing to me before..."

"I'll do more than that if you don't call your Alakazam off!" She snarled at him. "How dare you?! Have you no conscience? This battle is **over**!"

As if to add emphasis to her words, the two Pokémon finished the battle themselves. Alakazam had been fighting without his trainer for all of this time, and he had since become disoriented. He missed his mark on several crucial attacks, and in the end it cost him dearly. With a cry of fury, Verdiana reared up and brought her foot down hard on his head, stomping him into submission, and knocking him out without so much as a whimper. Then she whirled around and saw Genji, and her eyes narrowed into slits. Blaring an enraged cry at him, she began charging toward him at full gallop, her wings raised as high as they would go.

Genji was still recovering from the shock of being slapped for the first time of his life, so Hitomi saw the danger when he didn't. "No, Verdiana!" She screamed, flinging Péle out of harm's way. "Look out!" She shouted as she launched herself into Genji, knocking him out of the path of the enraged Pokémon, just in time to take the full brunt of a charging tackle.

Verdiana slammed into Hitomi, sending her flying backwards, only to land on her back and roll over and over before skidding to a stop on her stomach a dozen yards away. The force of the impact had knocked her silly; she hadn't really even felt the landing.

Verdiana stopped cold, trembling in horror as she realized what she'd just done. Calling frantically, she bounded over to Hitomi's side, and she nudged her vigorously with her head, trying to get her to wake up. When this produced no results, Verdiana began to panic. She stamped her feet and darted her head this way and that, trying to figure out what to do.

Unbeknownst to her, Genji had already made his way over to them. She cried out in alarm when she noticed his approach, and she snarled at him, prepared to charge again. He held both his hands out in front of him, and he closed his eyes in concentration.

"Sleep." Was all she heard in her mind when his psychic power hit her. Immediately, she slumped over onto her side, snoring loudly. Genji opened his eyes and lowered his arms. He walked over to Hitomi's side and picked up her wrist to feel her pulse. She was alive. Dropping her wrist, he stood upright and felt the place on his cheek where her hand had struck him. He paused for a few moments to think about what had just happened.

"Why did you push me out of the way like that?" He asked aloud, scrutinizing her as if he expected an answer.

Almost miraculously, Hitomi's hands twitched, and then they clenched into fists, drawing up grass and dirt. She pushed hard against the ground, her arms twitching and quivering with the effort. Finally, she succeeded in raising her upper body a few inches off the ground.

"I won't let another person get killed by a Pokémon," was all she choked out before her strength gave way and she collapsed, this time losing consciousness altogether.

Genji stared down at her, his expression one of the utmost disbelief. She had nearly gotten herself killed just to keep him from harm. What kind of person did that for someone they didn't even know? It made absolutely no sense. Again, he touched his cheek where she had slapped him, and he began to feel an odd mixture of emotions. He didn't understand why, but for some reason he didn't have the inclination to kill her that he'd had before. He was confused, and he didn't know how to solve this perplexing problem.

One thing was certain though, he thought with a grim frown. If she was to be allowed to live, he shouldn't leave her here like this. After returning his Alakazam to its Pokéball, he took out two spare Pokéballs and tossed one at Péle, and one at Verdiana. Both stayed inside. He tucked them into one of his pockets and pulled out one of his own Pokémon. He released a large Skarmory from its Pokéball. It knelt obediently as he gently lifted Hitomi into his arms and climbed onto its back.

"Petalburg City," he commanded. The Skarmory let out a shrill cry and took to the sky, its great metal wings crushing the air beneath them. Within only a few seconds they had shot toward the horizon and were out of sight.


	7. Chapter 7: Genji's Proposal

When Hitomi began to wake up, thoughts of where she was or who she was with never entered her mind. Her only distinguishable thought was that she was in pain, and lots of it. Stirring a bit, she moaned and tried to curl up into a fetal position. But she found to her horror that she was unable to move. It felt as though her body wouldn't respond to her thoughts. This thought, coupled with the steadily intensifying pain, brought her all the way back to her senses, and she let out a confused, frightened cry. Opening her eyes and blinking a bit at the bright lights above her, she then began to wonder where she was. What had happened? All she could remember was Verdiana's charging at her and Genji. Genji! Where was he? Had he gotten hurt?

As though that was his cue, he answered her thoughts with a snort of disdain. "It's insulting to think that lumbering hulk could harm me," he said scornfully. "What a ridiculous thought!"

"Oh!" Hitomi cried, trying to sit up so she could see him, but finding that she still couldn't move. "Ungh! Where the heck am I? Why can't I move?"

She heard the sharp tapping of shoes on a tiled floor, and within moments Genji came into her field of view. He walked around beside her and tapped one of her wrists with his finger.

Hitomi glanced over at her hand, and it was then that she began to see the horrifying situation she had landed herself in. She was on what appeared to be a hospital bed, and her hands were tied to the headboard. She craned her neck to look at her feet, and found that they too were tied down. She struggled hard against her restraints, and she quickly succumbed to hysterics.

"What's going on?! Why am I tied to a bed? Where the heck am I? And what am I doing here?!" she shrieked, struggling with all her might and darting her head back and forth to glance wildly about the room. She recognized it as being one of the dormitories of a Pokémon Center, and aside from the normal desk, chair, and hospital bed, there didn't seem to be any features to set it apart from all the others she'd seen. She noticed that the door was closed, and that didn't help to settle her nerves any.

"It was simply a precaution," Genji replied with a cool smirk. "I can't have you running away on me now, can I? After all, my organization has gone to great lengths to track you down."

Upon hearing those words, Hitomi froze, and she stared up at him with wide, frightened eyes. No... it couldn't be... He was... with **them**?!

"You're... you're with Neo Perfection?" she asked faintly, feeling as though the room had tilted and was beginning to spin.

"Very good," he replied, sitting down on the side of the bed and leaning over so that he was right above her. "You've saved me the trouble of determining your knowledge of our existence. That will make things much easier."

To say that Hitomi was frightened was an understatement. Here, in this vulnerable position, she was staring into the mouth of a ravenous monster, with nothing to protect her but her wits. What on earth was she supposed to do now?

"I must admit, I was surprised to hear that you escaped capture from our raid on Fortree," he continued, locking her eyes with his own. "I figured that either you'd had prior knowledge of what was to come, or you'd had outside help. I'd like to find out which one it was, but we can save that for later. First, I'd like to ask you a few questions that _don't_ pertain to those matters."

Hitomi didn't say anything in reply. She couldn't. There were no words to relay the feelings of despair and anxiety that were slamming around inside her mind. She could only lay there, trembling and staring back at the young Neo Perfectionist above her.

"First of all," Genji began, leaning down a little more closely. "Why did you push me out of the way when your Tropius was charging at us? Why didn't you save yourself instead?"

Hitomi hadn't expected that one. And as she looked up at him, trembling in fear, she found herself wishing that she _hadn't_ done that, and had instead allowed Verdiana to trample him to death. She was so torn with anguish and despair that she couldn't bring herself to answer. And even if she had been in a calmer frame of mind, she wouldn't have wanted to. She didn't want to tell him anything.

"You'll find that defiance makes me do very unpleasant things," he told her, his voice soft and silky. "I'd advise you not to remain silent when I ask you a question. I might be tempted to use more... forceful methods to get what I want." He touched the side of her face ever so slightly with two of his fingers, and Hitomi shuddered and turned her face away. He trailed his fingers down across her cheek and rested them on her neck. He gave it a light scratch with his fingernails, eliciting a gasp of fright from her. Afraid of what he might do, she decided she'd better do as he asked.

"I... I don't know why I did that," she croaked, her eyes filling with tears. "It was... it was instinct. I just couldn't let her kill you." She turned her face back toward his, and she flushed crimson as anger began to flicker inside her. "I wish I'd never done it... I wish I'd let her stomp you into the ground!"

Genji shot her a devilish grin, and he placed his hands on the bed on either side of her, leaning his face even closer to hers. "That's understandable," he agreed. "But before you knew I was with Neo Perfection, you were willing to risk your life to save mine - all that despite the fact that I was about to destroy your Pokémon. You even struck my face in retaliation... and yet you still pushed me out of harm's way. It makes no sense, and it's really very baffling. It... intrigues me."

His face was dangerously close to hers, and Hitomi could feel the warmth of his breath on her face. She glared at him, her eyes full of loathing and resentment. She couldn't believe she'd allowed herself to be taken in by his good looks and seductive charms. He was no better than the rest of those monsters who'd done away with her parents. She hated him. She wished she could kill him herself.

Genji let out a sudden laugh, and his jade eyes flashed at hers. "You've got murder in your eyes," he chuckled. "Now _that_ I'm accustomed to seeing. It would be interesting to see what you'd try to do to me if I untied you, wouldn't it? But perhaps it's better for your own health that I don't. After all, if I thought you were a threat to my safety, I'd have to kill you."

"You don't scare me," she snarled at him. "I hate you! I hate all of you! I'll never forgive you for what your kind did to my parents! They didn't deserve it, and neither did any of the rest of those groomers your 'recruiter' slaughtered!"

"Well, to be honest, that particular member is one of our most vicious," Genji chuckled. "We've had to retire him. It does us no good to kill all of our prospective laborers. Besides, such activities as his might have been traced back to our organization, and we still can't risk being discovered... not yet. Now, thanks to your own admission, I know that you are aware of Neo Perfection. Because of what you know, I'm going to have to keep you detained... at least until our plans have come to fruition."

"There are others," Hitomi hissed at him. "I'm not the only one who knows what you're up to. You can't stop us all! We _will_ put a stop to you!"

"I'd be delighted to hear all about the others," he murmured silkily, grasping her chin in between his thumb and forefinger and tilting it upward. "In due time, of course." He bent his head down toward hers, and met her lips with his own.

Hitomi squealed in surprise and fury, struggling wildly against her bonds and trying desperately to wrench her lips from his. He prevented her attempts at moving her face away by grasping her cheeks firmly with both hands and holding her still. This wasn't happening... what was he going to _do_ to her? She'd never been kissed like this before... she'd never even been _kissed_ before! She couldn't believe that her first time was with a _monster_ like him. Tears filled her eyes again, and she closed them, allowing the tears to stream freely as she tried block the image of his face from sight and mind. Her tears met his fingers and spread out along the boundary where his hands and her cheeks met. She had never felt so helpless and afraid in her entire life.

Finally, he pulled his lips from hers, and, breathing heavily, he pulled away until he was hovering above her again. Hitomi opened her eyes and stared up at him, her face giving away an odd mixture of pain, embarassment, fear, and despair. Her entire body was trembling violently, and her heart was beating so quickly she felt as though it might burst at any moment. He gazed back at her, his eyes smoldering with a strange, frightening intensity. She couldn't understand that almost surreal expression of his, and she didn't want to. She just wished he would disappear forever.

"You needn't be so afraid of me," he said at last. "If I'd wanted you dead, I could have killed you already. In reality, I was hoping to persuade you to listen to reason. A new world order is coming, and Neo Perfection will reign supreme as the owner, protector, and leader of the people and Pokémon of this world. We're going to bring peace, tranquility, and human achievement of the highest magnitude. It can't be stopped, and it _won't_ be stopped, so resisting our advances is nothing but an effort in futility. Although I don't know why, I want you to be there with me when our glorious ideas have been realized. I want to learn more about you, and about why you would be willing to throw your life away for the sake of someone you don't even know. I want to study you... to understand you. Don't you see? I'm offering you something I've never offered my enemies. I'll have you there, by my side, to witness the realization of true greatness in the human race. You'll be kept safe from harm. Just as you tried to protect me, feeble though your attempt was, I will protect you - from your own folly. My subordinates won't harm you if I order them not to. As long as you do what I say and side with me, you will be free from any punishment or persecution. In time, you will come to feel the same as I do. Do you understand what I'm offering you? I can give you the life of a queen!"

Hitomi's blood froze in her veins. Did this mean that she was staring into the very face of the leader of Neo Perfection? This teenage boy? That revelation alone was enough to send her mind reeling. But what he was asking of her was ten times more unbelievable. How could he say such things? What could he possibly feel for her, when it seemed as though he couldn't have feelings for anyone? And how could he expect her to agree to his offer? Didn't he know that she couldn't possibly join - much less care for - someone who allowed and even ordered the killing of innocent people?

"I've never had such a fascination with someone before," he continued, trapping her with those smoldering eyes of his. His voice was oddly husky and thick, and Hitomi found herself unable to avert her eyes from his gaze. "I can't seem to get you out of my head. I've come to realize that I want to keep you... to keep you near me, and keep you safe. There are many things on this planet that I want to preserve, and you are one of them."

"I... I can't..." Hitomi replied faintly, her eyes glistening with fresh tears. "I can't join you. Killing innocent people is unforgivable. Don't you see that?"

"There are no 'innocent people,'" he replied darkly. "Those who would get in our way are those who are tainted with the impurities of ignorance and defiance. Ignorance is curable, but defiance is not, and it must be stamped out before it becomes a problem."

"I could never... I could _never_ be with someone who cared so little for human life," she sobbed. "I'd rather die than be forced to witness the agony and suffering your plans would cause to the people of this world!"

"That is the ignorance talking," Genji sighed, cupping her tear-stained cheek in one hand. "But as I said, that can be cured. It won't take long for you to realize that some people aren't worth your sympathy. Some people deserve nothing more than to be-" His words were cut short by an unseen force, coupled with a loud clanging sound. His eyes rolled back in their sockets, and he promptly slumped over onto Hitomi's chest, having lost consciousness. Hitomi looked up and saw Nurse Joy, brandishing an empty bedpan, which now had a sizable dent on the bottom of it.

"Get off Hitomi!" she exclaimed, the tone of her voice oddly familiar. "You bad man!" She grabbed onto one of Genji's shoulders and yanked him off of her, letting him fall unceremoniously into a heap on the floor.

"Hitomi all right?" she asked her, beginning to untie one of her wrists. "Did bad man hurt Hitomi?"

"I think I'm all right," she replied, sitting up as Joy untied her second wrist. Hitomi drew in a sharp breath as she felt a dull ache in her back and neck. The pain must have been the product of the collision with Verdiana. As Nurse Joy untied her feet, Hitomi noticed Péle hop through the now-open doorway and stand there, stock still. His eyes were open wide, and his pupils were nearly completely dilated. While Hitomi wondered what the meaning of it was, Nurse Joy finished untying her second ankle, whereupon she suddenly collapsed onto the floor.

"Hey, are you all right?!" Hitomi cried, jumping forward and peering down at her, despite the shooting pains this action sent ricocheting through her body.

"She fine," came Péle's voice. Hitomi looked up and saw that his eyes had returned to normal. "Péle had take Nurse mind. She normal again in little while."

"Oh Péle," Hitomi sobbed, covering her mouth with one hand. "I'm so sorry! I should never have agreed to battle him! He's with Neo Perfection! He's their leader!"

"This man the leader?" Péle asked incredulously, hopping forward and eying Genji cautiously. "What we do? This may be Hitomi only chance to stop bad ones at source!"

Hitomi froze as she understood the significance of Péle's words. He was right. She had a chance to put an end to Genji once and for all, and at the very least deal a serious blow to Neo Perfection. She glanced around the room, feeling her stomach do a somersault from her anxiety. The only thing that even resembled a weapon was the bedpan Nurse Joy had struck him with. She might be able to kill him with it, but she'd have to hit him again and again, for however long it would take to kill him. Could she... _do_ such a thing?

She looked down at him and gulped. Never in her life had she actually thought she'd have to _kill_ somebody, much less someone who was unable to fight back. She shook her head. There was so much to consider. How could she just _kill_ someone like that? Although it was true that this man was responsible for what had happened to her parents, and for what might happen in the future, was she really ready for something so horrifically drastic?

"I... I don't know if I can do it," she choked out. "I don't think I can kill him!"

Péle looked up at her, his face grim and solemn. "Péle can kill," he began. "Péle strong enough kill human. But Péle won't unless Hitomi tell me so."

Hitomi let out a sob of anguish. "I can't take this!" she cried. "This man is dangerous! He may be the very one who might cause us to lose our battle and bring victory to Neo Perfection. But even knowing all that, I... I can't just _kill_ him! Oh, Péle, what should I do?!"

Péle didn't answer her right away. He didn't know how. But after a couple minutes he seemed to come to some kind of realization, and he looked up at her resolutely. "Get stronger," he began. "Hitomi get stronger and fight back. Péle and rest of village fight too. If not kill him now, may need kill him later. But Péle no want force Hitomi to kill."

"You... you think we could do that?" she asked, glancing fearfully at Genji's unconscious body. "He's bound to wake up soon, and when he does, he's going to give chase. How are we going to keep him from finding an entire village of Psychic Pokémon? This guy seems to have a sixth sense or something. He may even be a Psychic himself!"

"_Is_ Psychic," Péle answered darkly. "He take over nurse mind already. He also read Hitomi mind. He very strong Psychic human."

"Then we're stuck," she sighed dejectedly. "It's either kill him now, or risk his finding your village and capturing the lot of us."

"There is... third choice," Péle began, narrowing his eyes. "Péle, Hitomi, and Verdiana leave and do mission alone. We leave village - draw bad man away."

Hitomi's eyes widened. "Would they... approve of something like that?" she gasped. "I mean, wouldn't your village follow us?"

"Péle papa be furious," Péle replied, shivering a little. "But he no follow. He take care of village - keep safe. That his job."

"I... I can't ask you to do that." Hitomi said quietly. "You've done enough for me already. If anyone should go, it should be me, and only me. You and Verdiana belong with your village; I have no right to take you away from it."

"Hitomi belong Péle," he cried, hopping up onto the bed and bouncing earnestly in front of her. "I no leave Hitomi, no matter what! Verdiana feel same. She want very much help Hitomi."

"I don't know..." she said hesitantly. "I just don't know."

"Péle want do it," he said gravely. "But only if Hitomi want. I listen Hitomi and do for Hitomi only."

She felt an almost irresistible urge to scoop him up in her arms and bury her face in his feathers. To have him offer her such unconditional devotion despite the terrible mistake she'd made with Genji was something that she knew she didn't deserve, and would never be able to repay him for. She resolved to do the best she could to ensure that Péle would never again be forced to endure such pain for her sake.

"All right," she agreed at last. "I don't want to kill him. I can't. But I don't want to put your village in danger, either. I say we do what you suggested and flee on our own. We need to make sure that Quetzal and the others lie low, and that Genji follows _us_. We don't have much time. We need to leave immediately."

"Péle ready," he agreed. "Have no choice. I tell Papa what we do, so he keep people safe and still. Come! We go!"

"Right," she agreed, following him off the bed as he hopped to the tiled floor and toward the door. Her back and neck were very sore, but not so sore that she couldn't move. She must have just bruised some muscles. "Where's Verdiana?"

"Outside," Péle explained, hopping up toward her arms and nearly tumbling down the front of her sweater when Hitomi barely managed to catch him. "When nurse take Péle out of ball and heal, he take over nurse mind. Bad man already have control, so Péle have no choice. I tell Verdiana wait outside. We go right away!"

"Genji controlled Nurse Joy's mind... That explains how he was able to get away with tying me down like that. Knowing what I know about him now, I'm not surprised he has abilities like that. We already know other members in his organization do!"

They left the center and found that sure enough, Verdiana was waiting for them outside. When she saw Péle and Hitomi rush through the door, she sounded a cry of joy and rushed up to nudge Hitomi and nuzzle her with her face. She looked at her with such sad, apologetic eyes, that Hitomi smiled, despite herself. It was an odd feeling to know that Verdiana - who was indeed a dangerous Pokémon in her own right - really cared about her like that. "It's okay, girl," she said soothingly, caressing her leafy, fragrant head with one hand. "I know you didn't mean to. Come on; we have to get going. We don't have a lot of time to spare."

Verdiana snorted in relief and laid her wings down so that Hitomi could climb on. After they were settled in, the great flying Pokémon took to the sky, making a beeline for the forest.

"Turn toward the north," Hitomi told her. "I'm afraid we're not going back to Quetzal and the others. It's just too dangerous to draw attention to them now."

Verdiana cocked her head to one side in confusion, but she did as Hitomi asked. She looked back a them quizzically, as if to say, "will we see them again?"

"I hope we see them soon, and on happy terms," Hitomi sighed. "Péle, are you communicating with Quetzal?"

"Yes," Péle replied, wincing a bit. "Papa yelling now. He say Péle not strong enough protect Hitomi alone... but... but he... _proud_ of Péle!" He squeaked. "He say Péle think like leader of a village!"

Hitomi smiled. It must have meant a lot to Péle, to hear the elder tell him that. She closed her eyes and grit her teeth, thinking how incredibly painful it must be for him to have to leave his village like this. He may never make it back. They all might not be able to.

"Papa say we need gain more Pokémon allies," Péle continued. "He say Péle and Verdiana strong, but not enough. Hitomi need more protection."

"Then we'll just have to use the money we've earned to buy some Pokéballs and catch some Pokémon..." Hitomi thought aloud. "We'll have to train, won't we? If we have to fight, we need to be strong enough to defend ourselves, and possibly others."

"Papa agree," Péle sighed. "He say he very sorry things turn bad for Hitomi. He no wanted this."

"I don't think any of us really knew what to expect," she sighed. "Tell him I'm sorry too, and I'll try to make sure his son comes back to him safely. We'll find a way to stop Neo Perfection... somehow."

As Péle relayed her message, Hitomi shivered and touched her lips with her fingers, remembering the forceful, frightening way that Genji had kissed her. She never wanted to be in such a vulnerable, helpless position again. Although she was sure it was bound to happen, she also wished as hard as she could that she'd never have to see him again.


	8. Chapter 8: A New Ally

"I wonder where we should go first," Hitomi mused, racking her brain to remember what was close to Petalburg City. "It has to be somewhere he wouldn't think to look for us right away. I guess I should consider where I would normally go, and then go somewhere else..."

As she furrowed her brow in consternation, Péle cocked his head to one side and chirped at her expectantly. "We go far or short?" he asked her.

"I don't know," she sighed. "Genji would expect us to go far away, wouldn't he? Wherever we go, we need to be somewhere that will allow us to hide, as well as offer us more than one way to escape. The problem is that I don't know just how far down the rabbit hole goes. How far has Neo Perfection dug their roots, anyway?"

"Papa say he sense Genji coming to. Say it no longer safe communicate with Péle. We on our own." Péle ruffled his feathers. "We need find place soon, Hitomi. We seen easier in air."

"Perhaps you're right," she agreed. "You're not all **that** bad at strategy, you know." She shot him a halfhearted grin, to which he chirped happily in agreement.

They flew on a straight path for a few more minutes before Hitomi began to see what appeared to be skyscrapers on the horizon. "Head toward those buildings, Verdiana," she called out above the humming of the great beast's leafy wings. "We'll stop there and buy what we need, and afterwards we'll worry about where to sleep tonight. We've still got daylight left; let's not waste it."

Verdiana trumpeted at her in a determined sort of way, and picked up speed, startling Hitomi and nearly making her tumble onto her back. "Ouch," she groaned, wincing as her sore, bruised body protested the sudden movement. "I sure am glad I don't have to run there. But flying doesn't seem to be any more forgiving on the rest of my body."

"Hitomi hurt badly?" Péle questioned her with a note of concern in his voice. "Maybe she need human doctor."

"I'll be fine," she assured him, trying to laugh it away. "I'm just a little banged up. Trust me; if I'd broken anything, it'd hurt a lot worse. Besides, even if I wasn't really all right, I don't think we have time for such luxuries. I want to get in, get what we need, and get as far away from civilization as I can. That'll be the first place he'd look. It's comforting that this city looks so big, because it'd be easier to dodge him if he followed us here. But at the same time, such a large one is sure to be one of the first places he'd look, especially since it's so close to Petalburg."

"That make sense," Péle agreed.

They had arrived to find a very large city indeed. Hitomi had never seen such a large one before. It was a far cry from the sleepy little town of Fortree. Huge department buildings and commercial skyscrapers reached far up into the air, as busy roads and smaller buildings nestled themselves in between the large structures. If she hadn't been so pressed for time, Hitomi might have liked to count how many of the larger buildings there were. But as it was, they couldn't spare the time, so they quickly descended into the heart of the city for the telltale blue roof of one of the Pokémon Marts.

Verdiana landed on the sidewalk just outside the mart, amidst varied cries of surprise, alarm, and delight from passersby. Hitomi tried to act as though her actions were completely normal as she carefully hopped down off of Verdiana's back and grabbed Péle as well. "You know the drill, Verdiana," she said, feeling her cheeks redden as the crowd of spectators began to increase around them. Maybe they hadn't seen any Tropius before. "Why don't you perch yourself up on the roof? We'll only be a few minutes."

After taking the time to snort playfully at a boy who had crept a little too close - an action that produced frenzied laughter from him as he scurried back to a small group of children, who were laughing and patting him on the back for his bravery - Verdiana beat her great wings and gingerly raised herself off the ground, taking care not to graze anybody as she did so. She hovered for a moment before directing her great bulk to the roof of the Pokémon mart. It creaked a little as she landed, and Hitomi was momentarily terrified that she was too heavy to rest there. Fortunately, a little creaking was all that resulted, and Verdiana tucked her stubby legs under her belly and peered interestedly at the crowd below. She snorted again, and Hitomi knew she'd be safe there.

As the crowd began to dissipate and move along, several people laughed loudly and asked Hitomi why her flier had no pokéball. She could only laugh in an embarrassed sort of way and shrug as she backed into the Pokémon mart, her cheeks growing redder by the second.

"Whew!" She sighed, trying to regain her composure as the door closed with a swishing sound behind her. "Come on, Péle. Let's get what we need."

Hitomi had just enough money to buy five pokéballs, four super potions, a cheap sleeping bag, and some food for both her and her Pokémon. It was a start. She didn't have enough for a backpack or a way of heating themselves at night, but it'd have to do for the present. She hoped she'd find a way to make some extra money later. Right now hiding out was most important. This first night would be the most difficult.

When she left the Pokémon mart, Hitomi was relieved to find that Verdiana was right where she'd left her, and she appeared completely at ease up there. "Verdiana!" she called up to her. "Come on down! It's time to go!"

Verdiana sprang to her feet and trumpeted excitedly. She leapt down to the ground, causing it to shake a little and thoroughly startle the people around them.

"Sorry!" Hitomi apologized as random people grumbled and glared at her. "My fault!" She clambered up onto Verdiana's back after tossing her supplies up there - along with Péle, who rolled onto his back and chirped in surprise as he kicked his legs in the air to right himself. Hitomi was unable to stifle a couple of giggles at his expense.

They promptly took to the sky, and Hitomi was concerned by the fact that the sun was already setting. "Fly low, Verdiana," she commanded. "Head for the forest we passed on the way here. It'll have to do for tonight."

Verdiana snorted obediently, and they sailed mere yards above the sharp contours of the city. Hitomi kept a watchful eye on the skies around them. She knew that they stuck out like a sore thumb, and right now, time was their enemy. She glanced down at Péle, who chirped reassuringly.

"Péle no sense bad ones," he assured her. "I let Hitomi know right away if I sense bad ones, okay?"

"Thanks Péle," Hitomi sighed with relief. "I appreciate that. He might come tomorrow, but we'll just worry about finding a place to make camp for now. Tomorrow could bring anything; let's not worry about it just yet."

They hovered over a large forest, straining their eyes in the dim light to find a likely place to settle. "Down there!" Péle exclaimed suddenly. "Péle find good place! Verdiana, take Péle, Hitomi there!"

Verdiana snorted again and plunged down among the trees. At first, Hitomi didn't see what Péle's keen eyes had spotted. But when they dipped below the treetops she spied it at last – it was the entrance to a cave, almost completely hidden from view from the sky. How Péle had spotted it, she had no idea. Those big eyes of his must've been very powerful indeed.

"We sleep here?" Péle inquired as Hitomi slid off Verdiana and inspected the cave entrance.

"This cave goes back pretty far," Hitomi remarked. "Without a lantern or a flashlight, I don't dare go in more than ten feet or so. Still, it's unlikely he'd spot us from the sky, and we'll be sheltered from the weather while we stay here. Yes, I think this will work. Nice choice, Péle!" Péle hopped circles around Verdiana and chirped excitedly. Hitomi couldn't help but smile. Even the slightest of praises sent the little guy giddy with pleasure.

While Verdiana bobbed her head and nipped playfully at Péle as he hopped around her, Hitomi considered what ought to be done next. "We need to have something to eat, I think," she mused. "I haven't had anything all day, and I'm starving. I know you guys must be too. Thankfully we had enough money to buy food that will last us a few days. The only problem will be finding something to drink to go along with it."

Péle stopped circling the now-dizzy Verdiana and hopped over to Hitomi. "Péle hear dripping sounds inside cave," he commented. "We find water in there!"

Hitomi glanced fearfully at the inky blackness further inside the cave. "I don't want to risk it," she murmured. "There could be wild Pokémon in there. And we won't be able to see where we're going. It'll be too easy to get lost."

"Hitomi no need worry," Péle replied, chirping stoutly. "I take care of that. Péle's eyes very good in darkness. And wild Pokémons in cave feel weaker than Péle. I protect Hitomi!"

Hitomi shivered at the prospect of venturing into unknown lairs and dens with only Péle's senses to guide them. The very idea of walking among wild Pokémon without even her own sight was enough to terrify her. "Let's not risk it," she said at last. "There may be fresh water outside too. We'll try and find a stream or something after dinner." Péle bristled his feathers petulantly and reluctantly settled down beside Hitomi as she took the pokéchow and granola bars from the shopping bags on Verdiana's back and gave a heaping pile of chow each to Verdiana and Péle. She unwrapped a granola bar and began to wolf it down as the Pokémon began munching their chow.

As they sat on the rough, rocky floor of the cave, Hitomi thought about what they might do in the morning. "I saw a gym in that city back there," she remarked in between bites. "It wouldn't be a bad idea to go there tomorrow and have a word with the gym leader."

"Péle agree," he replied, chewing thoughtfully. "We need strong allies badly. This gym leader strong?"

"Gym leaders are always very strong," she answered him. "I don't know who this one is, but he (or she) is bound to be a strong trainer, and a valuable ally to gain for our side."

"Good," he replied. "That settled then. Péle thirsty, Hitomi. If Hitomi afraid, Péle can go first, find water, then come back and tell Hitomi what he find."

Hitomi was about to protest again, when Verdiana suddenly began to growl a low, throaty growl. "What is it, Verdiana?" Hitomi asked, glad for the distraction but worried about her sudden hostility. Verdiana got to her feet and crept closer to the cave entrance. She flared her wings out a bit and lowered her head. She growled more loudly.

"What's gotten into her?" Hitomi asked Péle. But rather than answer her, Péle sprang to his feet and hopped up along beside Verdiana, his feathers bristling. The fact that he hadn't spoken to her could only mean one thing – someone was coming! Hitomi gulped and scrambled to her feet. She crept quietly up behind Verdiana and peered out into the twilight beyond the cave entrance.

A few moments later, they could all hear the soft padding of feet through the leaf litter outside, and out of the darkness walked a large Pokémon, sniffing the ground as he went. He was jet black and canine in stature, and had what appeared to be bones wrapped around his back and his feet. When he came within sight of them, he raised his head and stared at them for a moment before raising his pointed tail and growling softly. Hitomi shrank backwards in fright. That Pokémon looked dangerous, and it didn't seem at all pleased by their presence. To make matters worse, both Péle and Verdiana were trembling, as though the prospect of fighting the strange beast didn't appeal to them either. She glanced backwards and grit her teeth. It was either fight or retreat into the scary cave. Perfect.

She was about to ask herself how things could get worse when she heard more footsteps outside. "What is it, Cerberus?" an unfamiliar male voice asked. The Pokémon never took his eyes from Hitomi, Verdiana, and Péle, but he began to wag his tail in response. "I swear, if you've cornered another idiotic Zubat... oh!" he exclaimed as he stepped into view. "What have we here?"

He was a young boy with auburn hair and deeply freckled skin. He was wearing faded jeans, a light, green jacket, and hiking boots. He carried what looked like a heavy pack with a couple pots and other odds and ends tied down on the back, and from the way he was sweating, he looked as though he'd been carrying it for a while that day. He looked as though he'd just stepped out of a hiking magazine, and although that pack must have weighed at least forty or fifty pounds, he couldn't have been older than Hitomi was, if he was even that.

"You two don't look at all like you belong in a cave," he laughed, digging something out of his jacket pocket. "Hang on a sec; I want to check this out." He pulled a slightly scuffed and worn pokédex from his pocket and opened it up. He punched a couple buttons on it and read what it displayed about Hitomi's Pokémon. "Tropius and Natu, huh? Well Cerberus, it looks like you'd have an easy time with these guys. The Tropius is weak to your fire attacks, while the Natu is weak to your dark ones. I wonder what they're doing here?" He looked up from his pokédex and this time he spotted Hitomi, who was staring curiously at him from behind Verdiana. "Oh! Hello there!" he laughed, waving cheerily at her. "That explains it. These two are your Pokémon, aren't they?"

"Yes," she replied, not daring to leave the safety of her position as she eyed Cerberus warily. "I'm not interested in a battle, if that's what you're after. I'd probably lose anyway, and I don't have any money so it wouldn't do much for you either."

"Don't worry about it," he chuckled, tucking the pokédex away again. "I was just trying to find a place to sleep for the night when Cerberus picked up your scent and led me here. Would you mind if we shared your cave for the night? In return, I'll make dinner for you!"

Hitomi's stomach growled as if to urge her to accept. That granola bar hadn't done a lot to ease her day's worth of hunger. Still, she didn't exactly feel at ease with that intimidating Pokémon staring her down. "I'd agree, but I don't think your Pokémon likes me very much," she remarked, staring fearfully at Cerberus.

"Who him?" the boy asked incredulously. "Naw, Cerberus looks like a bully, but he's really just a big baby. He's uneasy around strangers at first, but it won't take long before you'll agree that he's about the gentlest Houndoom you'll ever meet. Still, if he makes you nervous, I don't mind giving him a rest. C'mon Cerberus. Time for a break." He plucked a pokéball from his belt and punched the button on it, zapping the Houndoom inside. "There we go. All gone. Now can you come out so that I can introduce myself properly?"

Hitomi glanced down at Péle, who looked back at her and winked as if to say, "this one's all right." She grinned and came out from behind Verdiana. "Sorry about that," she apologized. "I have this thing about strange Pokémon. I guess you'd call it a kind of phobia."

"That's an odd phobia for a Pokémon trainer to have," the boy laughed. "Anyway, sorry for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Grady O'Dell. I'm from New Bark Town, and I'm on a late Pokémon journey. I know I look a little old for it, but I'm only four years late," he laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"Hey, you're my age!" Hitomi laughed. "Well, my name's Hitomi. Hitomi Junshin. I'm from For..." She stopped herself just in time, but stumbled over her words. "I mean, I'm from Petalburg," she corrected herself. "I'm on a Pokémon journey too. I got a late start because I stayed home to help with the family business."

"Petalburg? I just came from there!" Grady said excitedly. "I just barely managed to defeat Norman at the Petalburg Gym. You guys must be really proud of that guy. He's really tough!"

"Huh? Oh! Oh yeah, we all love him," Hitomi laughed, trying to sound natural. "His Pokémon are super strong!"

"They sure are," Grady remarked. He arched an eyebrow at her. "D'you have a favorite?"

"Oh, uh... not really," she replied with a feeble laugh. "I like them all equally."

"I'd have to say that Gloom of his is my favorite," he continued, flashing her a grin. "Its vine whip nearly knocked us off our feet."

"Yeah, that sounds just like Norman all right," Hitomi laughed, relieved that he didn't seem suspicious in the least. "Of course, his Gloom was no match for my guys," she said brightly. "Verdiana used her er... flying attack, and it was all over." She wondered if maybe she was pouring it on a little thick.

Grady smiled at her. "So, would you mind if I got a fire going? I'd like to get started on dinner, and we may need the heat. It's supposed to rain tonight."

"That sounds really good," Hitomi replied, feeling her stomach growl again in anticipation. "I haven't eaten a hot meal in a long while. Need some help gathering wood?"

"Sure," Grady laughed. "It's getting dark out there, and maybe between the two of us we can manage to find enough without getting lost."

"You watch the cave for us, okay Verdiana?" Hitomi asked her. "I'll be back soon." She turned to leave, and shrieked abruptly as Verdiana butted her shoulder with her head in a playful sort of way. "Woah! What's gotten into you?" She asked, laughing and rubbing her shoulder. "If you want to play, you'd better be more careful. I'm not nearly as big as you are, and I'd break more easily." She wasn't really serious about playing, since the very idea of playing with such an enormous creature made her feel **very** uneasy. But Verdiana must have thought she was, because she snorted loudly and stomped her feet excitedly. Her wings quivered and jerked as she reared up on her hind legs and trumpeted at Hitomi.

"I've never seen her like this," Hitomi laughed apologetically at Grady. "I don't think she wants me to leave her in the cave."

"That's all right," Grady chuckled. "Cerberus can watch it for us." He drew forth the pokéball from before and released his Houndoom. After removing his pack and setting it beside the attentive Pokémon, he gave Cerberus his assignment. "Keep an eye on the cave for us, will you boy?" He asked him. "Hitomi here has graciously allowed us to stay in her cave for the night, and she's going to go with me and help gather wood. Keep the Zubat away, will ya?"

Cerberus sat on his haunches and wagged his tail. He looked a lot less intimidating like that, now that he knew Hitomi and the others weren't a threat. Still, she didn't exactly have the urge to be alone in a room with him either.

As they ambled along, Grady first, then Hitomi, then Verdiana tramping along behind with Péle riding on her back, they quickly gathered plenty of wood for a fire. Verdiana was only too happy to help, and she allowed them to place the wood on her expansive back for her to carry. While they walked along the trail, Grady noticed the way Hitomi was favoring her injured ankle, and how she limped. He stared at her in surprise.

"What did you do to yourself?" He asked her. "Did you hurt that ankle recently?"

"Yeah," she laughed. "I stumbled onto a Marowak nest by mistake, and tripped and fell while I was trying to run away. If it weren't for Péle, the Marowak would have beaten me silly."

"You shouldn't have come help me gather wood," Grady laughed. "You ought to rest that foot. Did you see a doctor about it?"

"Yeah, and it's only sprained," she explained. "I'll be fine. Besides, it's too dangerous to take it easy just yet."

"What do you mean?" Grady asked. They had arrived back at the cave, much to the delight of Cerberus, who barked happily at Grady as if to say, "mission accomplished."

"Never mind," Hitomi laughed, waving it away as she realized that she'd said too much. "Let's get that stuff inside the cave. Come on, Verdiana."

Verdiana snorted happily and trotted into the cave ahead of Hitomi. Grady watched Hitomi limp into the cave after her, and he glanced down at Cerberus and nodded before going inside himself. Cerberus followed them in, his tail wagging in a friendly way as he came.

"You just take it easy for now," Grady said brightly as they began to unload the wood. "I'll have this fire up in no time."

"Okay," Hitomi said gratefully. Her bruised, sore body was already protesting the effort she'd made at walking around collecting wood. She watched in silence as Grady stacked their sticks and branches back farther in the cave, and selected some to use for their fire. After he'd built his fireplace up the way he wanted it, he directed Cerberus to breathe on it a little, and sure enough, the accommodating Pokémon had only to pant a couple of times on the twigs and leaves at the base of the firewood before a few sparks flew out and took hold on the kindling. Before long they had a nice, comfortable fire, and the cave had become suitably warm.

"Much better," Hitomi sighed, realizing how good a warm fire felt after hours out in the autumn chill. "That feels wonderful."

Péle seemed to agree, as he had hopped into Hitomi's lap and was basking in the fire warmth with a happy, sleepy expression on his face. Verdiana, on the other hand, didn't really seem to think that the fire was all that impressive, and she settled herself down on the ground a little farther back in the cave. Hitomi mused to herself that it seemed likely that grass Pokémon wouldn't take a liking to fire anyway.

Grady unloaded his supplies for supper out of his pack and began to set up his pots and cups by the fire. He opened a couple cans of soup and poured them into one of the pots and, after unfolding a neat little apparatus for bracing his crockery over the fire, he set everything up to cook.

"Now then," he said at last, sighing as he settled back on his hands and let out a long, satisfied sigh. "How about you finally come clean with me? Everything I've told you about myself, albeit short and to the point, was the absolute truth. You, on the other hand, have been lying to me since we first introduced ourselves. Why is that?"

The matter-of-fact way he had asked his questions had taken her completely off-guard, and she gaped at him in shock. "What d'you mean?" She stammered at him, pretending to look innocently surprised by his accusation.

"C'mon, give me a little credit," he laughed at her. "I'm not dumb. I can tell when I'm being lied to, at least when the lies are as obvious as yours were. First off, Norman doesn't even _have_ a Gloom. No one in his gym does. They all use normal types. The fact that you didn't know this means that you lied about taking him on, and you lied about living in Petalburg. And besides, Gloom can't even **learn** vine whip, much less use it. Now come on. I'm not saying you have to trust me completely, but I'm not too interested in hanging around with people who feed me lies all the time."

Hitomi's face burned red, and she stared down at her lap to avoid his gaze. "I lied because I have to," she said quietly. "I've got some really frightening, powerful people after me, and the less you or anyone else knows about me the better."

Péle roused himself from his dozing and looked up at Hitomi. She looked back at him and sighed. "Besides," she continued, "you wouldn't believe any of it if I told you. It's too ridiculous and surreal for words."

"First of all," Grady said, stirring the soup, "I'm not the kind of guy who'd Rattata someone out who didn't deserve it. I kind of doubt you're a wanted criminal. Your Pokémon are too attached to you. And secondly, why don't you try me? Who knows? I might be able to help."

"No," Hitomi declared. "No way! Anyone who gets involved in this mess is put in grave danger. Even my two best friends are as we speak in the custody of these criminals. I don't dare get you involved like that!"

"Don't underestimate me," he replied, flashing her a grin. "My Pokémon and I have been through a lot, and we're _very_ strong. I have five badges already. I'm planning to take on the Pokémon league someday soon. Besides, you can't expect me to be satisfied with an explanation like that. If there's something dangerous going on, I want to know about it, especially if something can be done to stop it."

"Why should you though?" Hitomi persisted. "I haven't even said what it is yet. And you don't even know me. What makes you think I'm worth all the trouble?"

"Well, I..." he said, averting his eyes and furrowing his brow as though he were embarrassed by her question. "I guess I just don't think anyone should be picking on a weakling with an injured foot, that's all."

Hitomi didn't know whether to be insulted or incredulous. Truth be told, she was a little of both. "I'm not a weakling!" She exclaimed angrily. "And yes, my ankle is sprained, but that doesn't make me an invalid either! I could kick **your** butt if I wanted to!"

The angry glare she sent him was meant to drive her point home, but it only caused him to burst into laughter. "That... that was the funniest thing..." he gasped in between guffaws. "The way you look just now... you really mean it, don't you?"

Hitomi just continued to glare at him, more infuriated than before. As his chuckles and gasps began to subside, he wiped his eyes dry and grinned broadly at her. "Look," he began, "I'm going to level with you. What you've said so far hasn't been much, but it's got me interested. And I'll admit, I like a challenge. If these guys who are following you are doing it for the wrong reasons, and if they're as powerful as you say, I'd like to see how I'd fare against 'em. Besides, what do you hope to accomplish, hiding out here alone like this?"

"Well... I wasn't going to hide exactly," she replied, twiddling her fingers uncertainly. "I do have a plan... sort of."

"So let me in on it," he urged her. "C'mon. It's bound to be easier with help. What have you got to lose? My Pokémon and I are ready for a challenge. Give us a chance!"

Péle hopped down off of Hitomi's lap and hopped over to Grady's side. He stared up at him for a few seconds, as Grady stared back in surprise. Finally, Péle turned back toward Hitomi, and he spoke to her.

"Péle think this good human," he remarked. "Hitomi should get help from lots good humans. Let's start this one."

"Well, if Péle thinks you're okay, I suppose that's good enough for me," Hitomi sighed.

"Whoa, whoa, **whoa**!" Grady exclaimed, holding his hands up for her to stop. "Lemme just make sure I'm not going nuts here. Did this Pokémon just talk?"

"Yes," Hitomi replied, smiling a little at his understandable reaction. "His name is Péle, and he's the reason I'm actually out here to tell you about this, rather than being held captive myself. This is a long story, but if you really are interested, I'll tell it."

She began from the very beginning, and told him everything, excluding the part where Genji had her tied down on a bed, for obvious personal reasons. When she had finished, the soup had begun to boil over, and Grady was completely dumbfounded. He took the soup off the fire and rested his chin on his fist in an attempt to let it all sink in.

"This is incredible," he said quietly. "I can't believe something like this can be going on, and none of the people in charge know anything about it."

"That's why we have to let everyone know as quickly as possible," Hitomi replied, taking the cup of soup he handed her. "I intend to visit all the gyms in Hoenn and warn them about Neo Perfection. After that, I need to find a way to get word to the other parts of the world."

"Imagine," Grady sighed angrily. "People using Pokémon to kill like that. Not even Team Rocket went that far."

"It's just as well that they didn't. It made them easier to defeat, I suppose," Hitomi sighed. "I dunno. I remember what our history teachers said about them, and about the kid who wound up bringing them down. This is way different. No one kid is going to be able to bring down this massive organization. They've got factions all over the world, and they've dug their claws into many of the Pokémon centers already. There's no telling which ones are safe and which aren't."

"Hey, maybe we could set up a kind of underground network... you know, a safe haven for those of us who know about these guys, to go heal our Pokémon without fear of their being brainwashed. I'm sure we could get some of the Joys in on it – not all of them, or that would arouse suspicion. But if we don't do something, we could wind up putting our own Pokémon right into their hands."

"That's a great idea!" Hitomi agreed, gaping at him in admiration. "There's a city not too far from here. It's very large, and I know I saw a gym there. We should start with it. We get the gym leaders involved, and we'll have the help of the entire cities. That's the plan my Grandfather and his companions had, anyway."

"That'd be Rustboro," Grady replied. "I was on my way there to challenge the gym leader anyway. It's a good plan," he concluded.. "It's a shame your friends never got to move forward with it."

"I get so worried thinking about Grandpa, Kyo, and Asuka," she said, digging her fingernails into her legs and gritting her teeth. "What happens if they no longer need them for laborers? And Winona. With her on their side, that's one more powerful adversary against ours. It's too horrible to think about."

"We can only take it a bit at a time," Grady assured her. "Don't worry. We'll get them back. We just need to build up our forces first. I have a terrible feeling we're on the brink of starting something huge. Something catastrophic. Something like..."

"... like a war." Hitomi continued, her eyes widening in horror. She looked up at Grady, and he nodded grimly in reply.


	9. Chapter 9: The Missing Balls

For the rest of the evening, while Péle and Verdiana dozed, and while Cerberus guarded the cave entrance, Hitomi and Grady swapped stories of growing up. Grady told her about New Bark and about the people who lived there, while Hitomi told him all about Fortree and her friends and family. Eventually the conversation moved to Pokémon.

"I've always been fascinated by dark Pokémon," Grady told her. "My Houndoom is my first Pokémon, given to me as a gift from my rich uncle in Johto. I can remember visiting him when I was little, and he used to tell me stories about his job as a ghost hunter – a person who battles ghost Pokémon and scares them away from human habitations, businesses, and the like. It was from him and his magnificent team of dark Pokémon that I found my love of their type. They're mysterious, crafty, and extremely powerful. I have three others on my team right now. Wanna see?" he asked her excitedly, unfastening the pokéballs from his belt.

"Oh, I don't know!" Hitomi stammered. "This is such a small cave! It'll be so crowded!"

Grady noted the distinct sound of panic in Hitomi's voice and he frowned. "They're not going to attack you or anything, you know," he grumbled at her. "My Pokémon are really gentle. They save their fury for the battlefield."

"Look, it's not something I can help," Hitomi muttered, glowering as she felt her face grow warm in her embarrassment. "I know that. I can tell myself that all day long, but when it comes down to actually being **around** Pokémon, it's a whole other story. It's like my brain shuts off all reason when I get exposed to strange Pokémon."

"That really is a phobia then," Grady sighed. "This isn't going to make our goals any easier to reach, you know, Hitomi?"

"I know," she sighed dejectedly. "There are going to be Pokémon and Pokémon battles wherever we go. I know I have to get over my fear, but it's just so hard…"

"Why don't we work on it then?" Grady said brightly. "A bit at a time. We can have double battles, and you won't have to face them alone. In time, maybe you'll get to like it. There's something very beautiful and exciting about battling. It's just your strategy and your Pokémon's strength and faith in you out there. You're pitting it all against people just like you, and however you come out of the battle, whether you win or lose, it can change you and your Pokémon's lives forever. It's incredible!"

"You make it sound thrilling," Hitomi laughed. "Still, I'm not so sure I'll like it all that much. After my battle with Genji, I don't see how I'm going to be able to stand it if I see Péle get hurt like that again. And losses like that are inevitable, aren't they?"

At the mention of his name, Péle roused himself and hopped up indignantly. "I not afraid!" he squeaked at them, puffing out his plumage with pride. "Elder say that losing important. It make Pokémon learn faster than winning most times. Péle learn lots from fight with Genji. I ready to win next time!"

Grady laughed, but Hitomi bit her lip apprehensively. She wasn't so sure where Péle was getting this confidence from, but she sure didn't share in it.

"I'll say this much about Péle," Grady said with a grin, "he sure is an eager little thing. He's got the right spirit for this. But he's still not strong enough yet. What we need most for you is to get you some proper training. Both he and Verdiana could use it. And while we're at it, we need to catch you some more Pokémon to build up a team."

"Well…" Hitomi mused, thinking it over carefully. "What about Rustboro gym? We could take on the trainers in there on our way to the gym leader. We'd have to anyway, since it's not likely he – or she – would see us under any other circumstances."

"Not yet," Grady sighed. "Not your Pokémon anyway. They're too inexperienced. I could probably make it through all right with mine, but yours need to train a lot more first. You don't even have any badges yet."

"What's the big deal about badges anyway?" Hitomi sighed, frowning angrily. "They make it so that stronger Pokémon will obey you, right? Well, Péle and Verdiana are strong. They obey me just fine without any badges. Besides, there's no requirement for you to have any other badges before you take on a gym. I remember that much from school."

Grady laughed. "I have a bit of an inside scoop on Rustboro's gym," he said with a grin. "It's a rock-type gym. Your flying Pokémon will be at a huge disadvantage."

"How do you remember all that type advantage stuff?" Hitomi laughed. "I can't keep all those advantage and disadvantage things straight in my head. I used to flunk my Pokémon exam all the time back home."

Grady let out a hearty laugh. "You know, I wondered about that," he chuckled. "You don't strike me as the type who'd show much of an interest in learning about Pokémon. Don't worry; you'll learn it soon enough. There's a difference between learning from books and doing it yourself. You're not an idiot. You've just got to find your own way of picking it up."

"I dunno," she said wistfully, unrolling her sleeping bag and stretching out on it next to the fire. "I was pretty sure I was dumb as a brick when it came to Pokémon. My parents were always really supportive, but I kind of got the feeling sometimes that they were disappointed. It's not like I didn't try though," she added with a frown. "I really did. But even then, it's like you said. I didn't have much interest in going tramping around in wild Pokémon territory looking for a fight. I guess I'm not just a slowpoke, but a cowardly one at that." She laughed and grinned at Grady. "But still… I'm getting better. I'm not as scared of Verdiana as I was, and Péle doesn't really bother me much at all. And to top it all off, I remember one of Verdiana's attacks is Magical Leaf, and two of Péle's are Psychic and Teleport," she added brightly.

"See?" Grady laughed in reply. "You're not dumb as a brick. You just need necessity to force you into learning. And I think it's safe to say that the necessity is here. I know it's going to be rough, but if you feel yourself wanting to quit, just remember what you're doing this for."

"Right," Hitomi sighed, picturing Grandpa, Asuka, and Kyo in her mind. "You're right, Grady. I can't afford to run any longer. Well, let's take the first step then. Sh-show me your Pokémon." She sat upright and jammed her fists into her knees to keep herself from shaking. She frowned mightily and appeared as though she was bracing herself for some terrible, impending doom.

Grady tried his very best not to laugh at her comical facial expression, and he nodded, removing the last pokéball from his belt and one by one, releasing the Pokémon inside each. The first one was a small, dark bird Pokémon with red eyes, and odd crest feathers that somewhat resembled a hat. The next was a small black quadruped with yellow rings on its body, which Hitomi was sure was related to Eevee somehow. The last was a fish with huge jaws and rows of sharp, white teeth. Although the first two didn't look as frightening as Hitomi had expected, she eyed the last one with no small measure of trepidation.

"These are my partners," Grady declared with pride. He pointed to Cerberus, who dutifully hadn't moved a muscle all evening in his mission to guard the cave. "Of course you know Cerberus. He's my first and my strongest. Next is Molly. She's a Murkrow. Say hi, Molly." Molly cocked her head at Hitomi and gave an abrasive, harsh cry. It sounded odd coming from her, since the expression on her face seemed rather jovial. Beaming at Hitomi, Grady moved onto the next one. "This little guy here is my Umbreon, Hex." Hex stared solemnly at Hitomi for a few seconds before twitching his ears and sitting prettily on his hindquarters. "And this," Grady continued, chuckling as the fearsome-looking fish flopped around in anticipation, "is Shrapnel - my Sharpedo. Shrapnel is as fierce a fighter as he looks, but don't think for a minute that he'd turn his teeth on anyone unless I said so. Just the same, I'm going to put him back in his pokéball, because he probably doesn't like it in such a dry place." He laughed as he pressed the button to recall Shrapnel, and Hitomi breathed a silent sigh of relief. "So these are my friends," Grady announced with a flourish of his hand. "What do you think?" 

"They all seem very strong!" Hitomi said politely, smiling at him and at them. "They must be, to have won you so many battles. Er… I was wondering about Hex. He's related to Eevee somehow, right?"

"Good to see you haven't lost all of what they tried to teach you," Grady replied with a playful grin. "Yeah. Hex was a prize at a Bon festival last year. They had a Kabuki contest for trainers and their pokémon, and they were giving Eevees to the teams with the most outrageous Kabuki scenarios and costumes. Naturally, mine were fierce competitors, although I can't say my delivery was as good as theirs. My mom made our costumes though, and she's a whiz with a sewing machine! I helped with the masks, and with Cerberus doing the fireworks effects, we took second place. I was so happy to get my Eevee! They're really rare, you know? Anyway, when I held the tiny little guy in my hands, I knew right away I wanted an Umbreon. And you know, I think that's what he wanted too. He's always been so calm out in the moonlight. It's like he was meant to be an Umbreon." 

"I think my grandpa had an Umbreon," Hitomi remarked, suddenly remembering a picture of one in one of the hallways. "I don't know if he still does, though. He keeps a lot of his Pokémon in the PC, but he regularly takes them out on short camping trips so that they can get some fresh air. Thankfully, he rarely kept any in the house. He had a couple though – an old Kecleon who thought it was funny to hide himself in my room and play tricks on me when I was trying to go to sleep, and a Chimecho who liked to float around outside the house, and only really came inside after dark. I hated that Kecleon from the moment we first met… he seemed to really enjoy scaring me half to death just as I was about to fall asleep. But now that I think about it, the Chimecho wasn't all that bad. She never really went out of her way to be around me, unless Grandpa was around with me. Maybe she knew I was afraid of her, and didn't want to upset me. I kind of wish I hadn't screamed at her to get away from me when we first met…"

"You'll get the chance to apologize eventually, I'm sure of it," Grady said kindly. "Don't let it bother you. I think she'll understand your feelings just fine when we break her and the others free of Neo Perfection's control."

"Yeah, but that seems like such a long way off," Hitomi said with a scowl. "We can't do anything yet. We need more time to gather help, but I don't think we'll have enough."

"We can only do what we can do," Grady sighed. "Now stop worrying about it! You're so depressing!" He laughed at her. "Worrying won't help anyone. And it's really hard on sleeping habits. Speaking of which, we'd better hit the hay. We need to get up early tomorrow and figure out the best plan of action."

"Okay," Hitomi replied, wondering if she could ever really get to sleep. Péle waited patiently for her to get inside her sleeping bag before he hopped up on top of her and settled himself on her chest. "C'mon Péle," Hitomi grumbled. "Do you really have to do that? It's annoying."

Péle glanced over at the Houndoom, and then at the Umbreon and Murkrow who were settling themselves down for the night beside Grady. He shivered. "Can't Péle sleep with Hitomi?" he begged her. "I no move! Péle promise! Just... don't make Péle sleep alone..."

Hitomi stared at him in confusion, as it wasn't at all the protest she'd been expecting. She'd expected him to rattle off some stubborn exclamation of "I protect Hitomi!" again, but seeing the nervous expression on his face, she knew something was bothering him.

"What's the matter?" she asked, obviously perplexed. "Is something wrong?" She sat up again and he hopped down into her lap. He looked up at her imploringly, as though the prospect of having to get off of her was the worst thing in the world. He glanced over at the Umbreon and Murkrow again, and he fidgeted nervously, dropping his gaze so that he wouldn't have to look at Hitomi's inquisitive expression. "Please, Hitomi?" He pleaded without looking at her. "Please don't make Péle go away!"

"I don't understand what's gotten into him," Hitomi said worriedly, glancing over at Grady. "What could it be? All I did was ask him to get off me."

"I don't know," Grady replied, frowning and rubbing his chin. "Maybe he thinks I'll do something to you in the night," he said with a befuddled laugh.

"No! Péle not think that! Grady good human!" Péle cried, turning and hopping earnestly up and down in Hitomi's lap. "It just… well…"

Suddenly, something occurred to Hitomi, and she wondered to herself if that could possibly be it. "Is it Grady's Pokémon?" she asked him. "You and Verdiana both shivered when his Houndoom wandered into the cave earlier. Were you... are you afraid of them?"

"Of course!" Grady laughed, smacking his forehead. "Péle's a psychic type, isn't he? It's only natural that he should feel uneasy amongst so many dark types. I didn't even think about it!"

"Péle **not** afraid!" the little bird retorted hotly, glaring at Grady's Pokémon. "Péle not afraid dark Pokémon! Not afraid anything!" All the same, he had begun to shiver again, as Grady's umbreon had turned its attention to Péle, and was staring at him solemnly.

Hitomi resisted the urge to laugh. "So I take it dark pokémon are strong against psychics?" she asked Grady. "I thought I heard you mention earlier that Cerberus' dark attacks would be strong against Péle."

"Right," Grady replied. "Additionally, dark Pokémon are unaffected by psychic attacks. Péle could use Psychic all day long and not do a thing against these guys."

Péle narrowed his eyes. "Papa say never trust dark Pokémons," he muttered. "He say they very sneaky. We no can read dark ones' minds, so never know what they planning."

"Well, I know these guys very well," Grady laughed. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Péle. Still, they've been cooped up in their pokéballs for a while, and I'd feel more comfortable with many Pokémon on the alert while we sleep. Will you be all right with that?"

"Perhaps have no choice," Péle replied angrily. "Still, Grady no need rely on dark ones. Péle plenty strong! I sense bad ones soon enough they come."

"Tell you what, Pele," Hitomi said, shaking her head and smiling, "if you promise not to grab me by the face and teleport me away in the night like you did the other night, you can sleep on me."

"Deal." Péle seemed satisfied with that arrangement. Just the same, he eyed Grady's Pokémon warily as they settled themselves into more comfortable positions around Grady, with Hex switching places with Cerberus for the night.

Pretty soon they were all sleeping soundly, with the exception of their silent lookout, who seemed perfectly content to stay in the cave entrance and stare out into the night. It seemed like only an instant had passed when blades of sunlight began piercing the darkness through the trees in the east, and it was with great reluctance that Hitomi, Grady, and the Pokémon woke up from their slumber.

"I'll get us some water," Grady yawned after a lazy stretch. "You build up the fire again so that we can cook breakfast. When I get back, we'll talk about what we should do today."

Hitomi agreed, both because she was glad to be given the less strenuous task, but also because it was safer for Grady to be out than it was for her. No one would recognize him as an enemy of Neo Perfection.

"Hitomi going to the city today?" Péle piped up as she stoked the nearly extinguished fire and added some small sticks to it. "We talk gym leader?"

"Maybe," she replied. "If we do, and if what Grady says is true, you and Verdiana may not see much battle time. Most likely, we'll have to let him battle the gym trainers so that we can even get in to see the leader."

"We could train here instead," Péle mused. "Plenty wild Pokémons in cave. Péle and Verdiana defeat them and gain experience."

As if to add emphasis to his words, Verdiana blasted an enthusiastic cry at them, the sound resonating deep into the cave and adding volume to it. Hitomi was sure she heard a lot of faint, angry squeaking and crunching back there afterwards. She gulped.

"Well," she stammered uneasily, "maybe if we had a torch or lantern or something." She laughed nervously. "But we really ought to go with Grady in case he needs help. Oh, and that reminds me of something."

Hitomi went to the shopping bags she'd set by the firewood and rummaged around in them until she found the pokéballs she'd bought. "I've got some pokéballs here for catching Pokémon," she explained. "But I wanted to use two of these for you guys too. There's an advantage to being able to keep you in here from time to time. It would allow me to carry Verdiana into places where she wouldn't normally be able to fit. And it would keep you both hidden in case there are Neo Perfectionists on the look out for you two as well as me."

Verdiana lumbered over to her and sniffed the pokéballs with interest. Péle hopped up and stared up at her. "Papa tell Péle about pokéballs," he replied with a knowing blink. "He say they very comfortable, and time pass very quickly in them. Péle don't mind staying in one for a while, but I worry about Hitomi if I not see her."

"Well, I don't mind carrying you," Hitomi admitted, laughing apologetically. "But I can't risk anyone's spotting you. And I don't know how common Natu and Tropius are. If you guys are rare, especially around these parts, you might attract attention. That's the last thing we need. If I need to put you guys in your pokéballs, I want you both to promise me that you'll go willingly."

"Péle do if Hitomi ask. But only for Hitomi," he added with a dignified turn of his beak. Verdiana snorted and nudged the pokéball with her snout. Hitomi laughed.

"Do you want to try it out?" she asked her. Verdiana stamped her feet and snorted again in reply. Grinning, Hitomi tossed the ball up into the air, and it landed on Verdiana's back. It bounced off and rolled off onto the ground without ceremony.

"Huh? That's funny," Hitomi said in surprise. "I'm sure that's how it works. Let's try it again." She tossed it up onto Verdiana's back, and again it rolled off onto the cave floor. Verdiana cocked her head to one side in curiosity, and she lowered her head and sniffed the pokéball.

"I don't understand," Hitomi cried. "Pokéballs are very user friendly. All you have to do is hit the Pokémon with them."

"Maybe Hitomi buy broken balls?" Péle suggested.

"I don't think so," she replied, picking up the pokéball and studying it. "Well, let's try a different one." She tossed a second one, but again nothing happened. Growing frustrated, she tried each of the others that she had bought, and not a one worked.

"Stupid pokéballs!" She growled, stuffing them back into the shopping bags and scowling. "I guess I'll have to ask Grady."

"Ask me what?" he asked her as he came through the cave entrance, carrying a few freshly filled water bottles, with Cerberus bringing up the rear. "I got the water. I see you got the fire going again. I'll start breakfast."

"Grady," Hitomi said, taking one of the pokéballs out and showing it to him. "I tried using a couple of the pokéballs I bought to store Verdiana and Péle in. But it didn't work. They just rolled off and didn't do anything at all. I bought them from the Pokémart in Rustboro. I've never heard of a Pokémart selling faulty balls before."

"They just rolled off, huh?" Grady mused, studying them closely. "I don't see anything wrong with them. I wonder why it didn't work?"

"Must be balls," Péle offered. "Both Péle Verdiana stay in pokéballs when Genji take everybody to Pokécenter. They work fine on us."

"Wait, what?" Grady asked, his voice giving away more than a hint of concern. "You say Genji put you guys in pokéballs when he took you back to the Pokécenter? Did he throw the balls?"

"Péle suppose so," the tiny bird said, wondering if he'd said something wrong, given Grady's worried expression. "I asleep when happen. But Genji must, since Verdiana in pokéball when Péle take over Joy mind."

"What's the matter?" Hitomi asked him. "Is that bad?"

"If Genji was the one that caught these two in their first pokéballs, then yes it's **very** bad," Grady muttered. "Unless you get your hands on the balls he used, he could use them to recall your Pokémon, because they now technically belong to him."

"Wait, what?!" Hitomi cried, aghast. "Belong to him? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Péle no belong that evil human!" Péle screeched, beating his wings furiously and hopping up and down. Verdiana joined in the general outcry, flaring her wings and stamping her feet at them.

"I'm afraid that it's true," Grady sighed. "He threw the first pokéballs to catch them. That means they belong to him. Unless you manage to steal those things from him, the next time we meet him you could lose these two immediately."

Hitomi sank to the ground as she realized he was right. "I remember now," she replied dully, her eyes wide with horror. "I remember what they said about Pokémon ownership at school. The first person to successfully trap a Pokémon in a pokéball is the owner of that Pokémon. The Pokémon is 'branded' with that ball's imprint, so that no other balls will work on them, and trainers can't steal Pokémon from each other. The only way to get another person's pokémon is to trade, or to steal the original pokéball away from them."

"Wh... what we do, Hitomi?" Péle cried, suddenly showing something she'd never seen in him before – panic. She stared stupidly down at him for a few seconds before shaking her head.

"I don't know, Pele," was all she could say to him. "I... I just don't know."


	10. Chapter 10: Rocks, Battles, and Xatu

Hitomi stared helplessly up at Grady. "What _can_ we do?" she implored. "The moment we run into Genji, it's all over! I can't possibly keep these two with me now – not when I know what'll be waiting for them when our luck runs out!"

"Péle not leaving Hitomi side!" the little avian cried shrilly. "No way! Péle job protect Hitomi, and I doing that!"

As if to add emphasis to his statement, Verdiana reared up on her hind legs, beating her wings and pawing the air with her forelegs. She trumpeted a fierce cry at them, as if to say that if Genji tried anything with her, he was going to regret it. She dropped back on all fours and growled ferociously.

"Good," Grady replied, his expression grave. "An idea has come to me – just now. It will be terribly risky, but it's all I've been able to come up with, and as far as I can tell, it's the only thing that'll give us one clear shot at success."

"Well, don't keep us in the dark," Hitomi cried anxiously. "Let's hear it! I'll consider any suggestion at this point."

"I don't dare tell you any more than I have to," Grady replied, smiling sheepishly. "This guy's already shown that he has no qualms when it comes to reading peoples' minds. The fewer people around who know my idea, the better."

Hitomi looked as though he'd slapped her across the face. "Are you saying you don't trust me not to give your plan away?" She inquired stiffly, shooting him a burning glare.

"Although it sounds really bad when you put it that way," Grady laughed, "the short answer is yes. It's not as though it's your fault or anything, Hitomi. But the hell of it is, this guy has already read your mind before. He'll try it again, the moment we encounter him. Why shouldn't he? He'll be suspicious the moment he realizes you're no longer alone. Besides, it's not as though we can afford to take these kinds of risks. Like I said, we'll only get one shot at this. We have to do it right the first time."

"Well, all right," she sighed irritably. "But keep this in mind, Grady. He's not going to limit himself to just reading my mind. Of course he'll be suspicious. Don't you think he'll try and read yours too?"

"Just let me worry about that," Grady assured her. "I know how to handle psychics. I've been dealing with them for a long while now. Kinda comes with the territory as a dark pokémon trainer. Just the same," he continued, frowning as though something bothered him, "it won't be enough. We need to make him think that I'm not a threat. That's where you'll come in. In order for our plan to work, you're going to have to think in such a way that will make him immediately dismiss me as a threat to his intentions. In your eyes, I have to be a weak pokémon trainer who has no idea what Neo Perfection is, or who he is. And any trace of this plan I'm talking about can't exist in your mind either."

"I can't possibly keep all of that from entering my mind!" Hitomi protested. "Certainly not for long, anyway! There's no way I could convince him of that!"

"Ah, but that's only if we rely on your mind alone," Grady replied, winking and tapping his temple with one finger. "That's where Péle comes into play. He'll have to, for lack of a better phrase, 'control your mind,' at least as far as what I said was concerned. He can't control it entirely, or it'll be too obvious. It's got to be you acting and talking out there, with Péle being your defense against incriminating thoughts. Do you understand what I'm asking, Péle?" he asked, glancing down at the small bird and smiling. "Do you think you'll be able to do that?"

"Péle can try," he replied, puffing up a little as he realized how important he was going to be to this plan. "Péle ready. Grady want try now?"

"Yes, let's give it a whirl, then," Grady replied, nodding admiringly at Péle's pluck and confidence. "We'll use a codeword for it. The moment I say the codeword, I want you to set up your defenses in Hitomi's mind. Hold them fast until I say the codeword again. Understand?" Péle bobbed his head. "Good. The codeword is 'horseradish.' Ready?"

Péle glanced back at Hitomi, who nodded at him so as to give him permission. He looked back at Grady. "Péle ready," he replied. "Go ahead."

"Horseradish," Grady said clearly, putting his hands into his pockets and glancing up at Hitomi's face.

Péle's eyes opened wide, and his body went a little rigid. Hitomi went immediately from wondering what it would feel like to have her train of thought derailed, to not remembering what they were doing, or what they'd been talking about.

"I'm sorry, Grady," she said in surprise as she noticed both he and Péle were staring at her expectantly. "I must have zoned out or something. What were we doing again?"

"That's all right Hitomi," Grady replied kindly. "I just wanted to know what you thought of my pokémon. Did you like them?"

Hitomi thought for the briefest of moments that she knew the answer to his question, but then all of the sudden, there was no answer there. "I'm sorry, Grady," she apologized again, feeling flustered at having been caught not paying attention. "I didn't know you had pokémon. Are they very strong?"

"Oh yes," Grady laughed. "But that's okay. Let's try another question. What are you doing out here in the woods like this? Are you running from someone?"

"Er... yes," she replied, suddenly unsure of whether she ought to tell him. "I'd rather not talk about it if I don't have to, though. I don't want to get you involved."

"Perfect," Grady replied, beaming with satisfaction at Péle. "That oughta fool him. Horseradish, Péle."

Péle relaxed his hold on Hitomi's mind, and sudden and complete understanding washed over her surprised face. "Whoa!" she cried. "I... I remember! I seriously remember everything, including what happened after Péle took control of me!"

"Péle no take control," he interjected, his voice sounding uncomfortable. "Péle no like invading Hitomi mind. He only do what necessary. I never take control of Hitomi mind all the way. Ever," he added, wrinkling up his face as though the very idea repulsed him.

"I guess it's for the better that we don't have to rely on him to take over completely," Hitomi laughed. "I remember how strange it sounded to hear Nurse Joy talking like him when he did it to her. It'd definitely be obvious what was going on if we did it that way."

"Very good, Péle," Grady complimented him. "How long can you keep up that kind of control you used on Hitomi?"

"As long as need do it," Péle replied proudly. "It not hard at all."

"Good," Grady said again. "Very good, actually. What I suggest we do then, is just proceed as we normally would, with one exception – Péle will have to keep Hitomi's mind clear of all thoughts of my pokémon and my knowledge of her predicament whenever we're not alone. On thinking further on it, that'll be better than just relying on a code word," he admitted, laughing good-naturedly. "Péle can sense better than any of us if someone's nearby, and even more so if there's danger. The moment that happens, you proceed with the plan, Péle, with or without a request from me. I'm relying on you to make this work."

"Péle won't mess up," the little bird returned stoutly. "Grady and Hitomi count on Péle!"

"Wait a minute," Hitomi interjected, frowning as something unpleasant had occurred to her. "Won't Genji try to read the pokémon's minds when we run into him? How can we shield them from him?"

"Pokémon minds are harder to interpret than human minds, at least for other humans," Grady replied. "I've been told this many times by psychic trainers in the past. There are many people who'd love to know what their pokémon are thinking all the time, but it's just not that easy. Even the psychic trainers usually find pokémon minds to be an enigma. And psychic pokémon, from what I hear, are even harder to riddle out. I don't think we have to worry much about that. He'll be focusing on the two of us more than he will them. You really have no idea how incredibly rare and unheard-of your pokémon is, Hitomi," he laughed. "I've never heard of one that could communicate freely with humans before. I shudder to think what your enemies would think of Péle. Anyway, I wouldn't worry about his trying to read their minds. We'll just bring both Péle and Verdiana along with us when we have to go somewhere. It'll be worth the risk, because if we need to get away in a hurry, flying on Verdiana will be much safer than running away on foot."

"So that's settled then," she sighed, somewhat relieved that they at least had some sort of plan, even though she still didn't know quite what it was. "Now the question is, what should we do next? Should we go take on the Rustboro gym and speak to the gym leader there?"

"Yes, I think we should," Grady agreed. "That person is bound to be the strongest pokémon trainer in Rustboro. If nothing else, that makes him a target for Neo Perfection. We have to get to him before they do."

"So what are we waiting for?" Hitomi demanded. "Let's get going then!"

"Hold on a minute," Grady laughed. "Let's eat first. Then we'll pack everything up and be on our way!"

After they'd eaten a rushed breakfast, they put out the fire and packed everything away in Grady's backpack. Afterwards, they climbed aboard Verdiana, who was so eager to get started that she'd already bounded out of the cave, Grady pulled one of the pokéballs from his belt and released one of his pokémon. It was Hex, his umbreon.

"I'm going to keep this guy with me," he explained. "I want you to carry Péle in your arms, Hitomi, and I'll carry Hex. We'll go straight for the gym. You know what to do, Péle. And let me add this," he said quickly, a flash of an idea lighting up his face. "If you can, make Hitomi think that it was her idea to go to the gym, and that I've agreed to double up with her so that she can talk to the gym leader. That way we'll have a story to go along with our presence in the gym. Just make sure you don't make it sound like I know _why_ she wants to talk to the gym leader."

"Péle understand," he replied. "I start now!"

"Let's go, Verdiana," Hitomi said suddenly, knowing that time was of the essence. "Let's go to the Rustboro gym!"

Verdiana snorted in reply, and in seconds, they were airborne. Hitomi thought about asking Grady what kind of pokémon he had, but she knew that it wouldn't make any difference, since she didn't even know what kind of pokémon she'd be facing in the impending battles of the gym, much less how to counter them. She looked down at Péle and frowned. She wondered if he and Verdiana could hold their own in a gym yet.

-----------------------

The first thing Genji felt when he woke up was pain. It was a skull-splitting ache in the back of his head. Groaning, he planted his hands on the cold, tile floor, and he slowly picked himself up. He leaned against the bed for support and stared blearily at his surroundings. Where the hell was he? He stared blankly at the empty bed, with its leather shackles dangling off the corners, and a bedpan lying next to the pillow. Now he remembered. He was in the Petalburg Pokémon Center. But that meant... wait, where had she gone?

He stared around the room, trying to figure out why he'd fallen down, and where Hitomi had gone. Seeing nobody, he cursed under his breath and walked unsteadily toward the door. He nearly tripped and fell as his foot made contact with something soft.

"Oof," the unknown object moaned, stirring in her abating slumber. He glanced down and noticed Nurse Joy at the foot of the bed. He glanced back at the bed and noticed the dented bedpan near the pillow. Now at last, he began to understand. Joy had knocked him out with the bedpan, and she had freed Hitomi. Judging by the fact that she was still unconscious, she must have been under psychic control when she did it. So who, or what, had come to the girl's aid?

Still pondering this, he walked out into the healing area, where he noticed the two pokéballs he had used to store Hitomi's pokémon. One was lying on the counter next to the healing machine, while the other had fallen onto the floor. Both were empty. He picked them up and went out into the lobby. He pulled out his cell phone as he left the building, ignoring the horde of angry trainers who had begun to pile up in the lobby, their injured and fainted pokémon having been unhealed for much longer than they'd liked. He punched one of his speed dial options, and waited for the other end to connect.

"It's me," he spoke as the woman on the other end picked up. "I've experienced a complication. The girl has escaped." He grinned with what resembled amusement as he heard the voice on the other end try to decide whether she should ask what had happened, or ask if he wanted more support. She didn't dare make any insinuation that he had experienced any kind of failure. To do so would have been a disastrous career choice indeed.

"No, I'm fine," he replied when she asked if he'd been hurt. "I was just careless. I'm coming back to base... No, I'll resume the search on my own tomorrow. The situation isn't out of hand, and besides, I need you there, to coordinate our next maneuver. I'm going to leave tomorrow morning for a quick flight to Johto. I need to see a man about a pair of balls." He fingered the two pokéballs he had picked up and stared at them for a moment.

There was an unmistakable sound of shocked protest on the other line, and Genji resisted the urge to chuckle at his own choice of words. "Don't be idiotic," he replied coolly. "You know what I meant. I'll be back with the girl by the end of the week. Call if you need specific instructions, but I'd suggest not landing yourself in a situation that requires you to report failures to me. I won't be pleased if I have to return prematurely," he warned. "In the meantime, keep our operatives on the lookout for her. She'll have a Natu and a tropius with her. Impress upon the troops that she is to be taken by force if necessary, but is to remain unharmed," he added, stuffing the pokéballs into his jacket pocket and releasing his Skarmory. "That's all. I'll meet you when I return to base. Have a doctor and a hot meal ready."

As he hung up the phone and mounted his Skarmory, it occurred to him that she'd had a prime opportunity to kill him back there. And again, she'd let him live. It was odd... very odd indeed. And yet, it was almost somewhat predictable. An adversary who showed mercy to her enemies was a rare one indeed, and he had every intention of taking advantage of this weakness and not allowing her to escape him a second time. This time, there would be no consideration of her own say in the matter. Sooner or later, she would have to realize that regardless of what she thought, he was going to get what he wanted. He _always_ got what he wanted.

-----------------------

"There it is, Verdiana!" Hitomi cried as they circled the city of Rustboro from a comfortable height. "It's that large building with the pokéball symbol on the front. That's Rustboro Gym! Fly down and land us out front, okay?"

Verdiana gave an eager call of assent and glided down in a wide corkscrew pattern. She had learned by now that it only upset Hitomi if she dropped too quickly. Hitomi noticed this, and smiled despite herself. Verdiana wasn't the dumb lumbering brute she'd thought she was when they first met. She was proving to be more sensitive and intelligent than that.

With a grunt, Verdiana's thick feet thumped against the earth, and they had landed in the paved walkway out in front of the gym. Hitomi and Grady slid off of Verdiana's back, each with their small pokémon in tow. Grady's dismount was confident and smooth. Hitomi's was hesitant and stumbling. Darn her ankle! It was still hurting her a great deal. Hitomi wished she could use a super potion on herself. Why was it that science had advanced far enough to instantaneously heal virtually any wound a pokémon could suffer, but she was still forced to limp around with a bandaged ankle?

"Well, here we are," Grady announced, his eyes glinting in anticipation of the battles that awaited them within. "Maybe you should bring Verdiana inside," he commented, reaching up and patting the fragrant pokémon's neck. "No need to put her inside her pokéball. The doors are more than big enough to fit her. Besides, she might help psyche out our opponents!"

"Er... good idea," Hitomi mumbled, realizing that she hadn't used her pokéballs yet, so Verdiana technically didn't even _have_ one yet. "Hey, wait a minute... am I going to be battling too?"

"Well, I was thinking, and maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea," Grady replied thoughtfully, detaching one of his pokéballs from his belt and staring at Verdiana. "Verdiana might not be a bad candidate. This gym is a rock-type gym. Verdiana's grass type might outweigh her flying type's weakness to rock attacks. Does she have any grass attacks?"

"Oh! I think she does!" Hitomi exclaimed. "Magical Leaf! Isn't that right, girl?" She laughed, beaming at Verdiana, who trumpeted excitedly. "Do you think you'd like to take on a few rock pokémon with Grady?"

Verdiana stamped her feet and tossed her head. She blared off another cry, causing passersby to laugh at her and remark what an excitable pokémon she was. Hitomi laughed again. "I guess it couldn't hurt..." she thought aloud. "But I don't have a lot of experience yet..."

"Don't worry about that," Grady reassured her. "We'll take on the gym as a pair. It's only recently opened up as an option, but they had to make some kind of allowance when Mossdeep's twin gym leaders opened shop. We'll only get one gym badge for it, though. We'll have to beat the gym a second time to get another badge."

"That's all right," Hitomi replied, thinking about it for a moment. "I'll let you keep the badge. All I want is a chance to talk with the gym leader."

"Great!" Grady chuckled. "As long as it satisfies both of us. Come on, then. We've got a gym to take on!"

They walked up to the double doorway, which opened up automatically for them. Hitomi, carrying Péle and leading Verdiana, followed closely behind Grady, who was holding an umbreon. Hitomi noticed the umbreon, and realized she'd never seen it before. She wanted to ask Grady about it, but as they had just entered the gym, she thought it best to keep her questions to a minimum. She didn't want to distract him, and she wasn't sure herself what to expect, so she decided to pay attention to their surroundings instead. They had entered what appeared to be a strangely rectangular cave, with a gravelly floor and rough, sandstone walls. There were high sandstone walls in the center of the room too, and they appeared to hide some kind of maze within them.

"Hello, champions in the making!" Came an eager voice next to them. Hitomi jumped at the sudden outburst, and Grady chuckled. They turned to see a rather dumpy man with a cheery smile and a blunt, swooping brown haircut. He was wearing a smart brown suit, and he was waving at them. "Welcome to Rustboro Gym! This is the territory of Roxanne, a hard-hitting rock trainer! Fire and flying types are bound to have a hard time in here," he said, glancing at Verdiana and smiling. "But grass and water types will find it much easier. I look forward to seeing your battles!" He went running off into the gym, through a slightly darkened corridor of sandstone ahead of them.

"What a funny man," Hitomi commented as Grady gripped his pokéball and set down his umbreon. "Do the gyms hire people like that to give trainers tips?"

"Nah, he's just some weirdo who likes watching gym battles," Grady laughed. "He's been at two of the gym challenges I've made so far. He flies around Hoenn, constantly watching the gyms. I figure he's some kind of rich old eccentric. The gym leaders don't mind him much, though. Gyms are open to the public, and the only rule they have is that spectators aren't allowed to interfere once the battles start. He can give all the tips he wants before we actually go in there and start battling."

"I see," Hitomi mused.

"Come on," Grady urged her. "The quicker we get started, the better. Let's follow where that guy went. I'm sure we'll run into the gym leader if we follow him."

Hitomi nodded, and they were soon walking through the wide corridor. The walls were featureless, but it wasn't long at all before the right wall quickly opened up to reveal a small room containing a pokémon trainer. "Hold it!" he cried. "Before you can see Roxanne, you have to face me! My name's Wilbur, and I challenge you! Let's see what you've got!" Hitomi studied the trainer curiously. He had dark brown, scraggly hair that hid beneath a dusty ball cap. He was wearing a light blue shirt and a pair of shorts. His skin was ghostly white, as though he'd never set foot outside in the sun before. He must have spent a lot of time in caves.

"We want a double battle," Grady told him. "Do you have a partner?"

"Feh. I don't need one!" The small boy laughed confidently. Hitomi realized that he reminded her of the boy she'd run into outside of Petalburg. He certainly was sure of himself. "I'll take you both on. One pokémon from each of you, against my three. Those are the rules."

"All right," Grady replied. While Wilbur fished his pokéballs out of his pocket, Grady leaned over to Hitomi. "Send out Verdiana," he told her in a whisper. "I'm going to use a water pokémon. With grass and water, we can't go wrong."

"Okay," Hitomi whispered back. Feeling her stomach flutter nervously, she glanced over at Verdiana and nodded. The great beast lumbered forward, eying her adversary curiously. Grady tossed out the pokéball he'd been holding, and a ferocious-looking fish pokémon materialized.

"A tropius and a sharpedo, eh?" their opponent asked, his countenance falling slightly. "And here I thought you were gonna send out the little ones at me. Oh well. Come out, Pebbles! Boulderdash!"

He tossed two pokéballs out in front of him, and two nearly identical geodudes popped up in front of them. "Hey, I know what those are!" Hitomi cried excitedly, forgetting herself for a moment. "They're geodudes!"

"Well duh," the boy replied, rolling his eyes at her. "Sheesh. Everyone knows what a geodude is."

"Attack, Hitomi," Grady reminded her, nudging her in the ribs with his elbow. He called out an order to his sharpedo. "Shrapnel, use aqua jet!"

"Pebbles! Hit the tropius with a rock throw!" The boy commanded. "You too, Boulderdash!"

It was happening so fast that Hitomi had temporarily forgotten the name of the attack she wanted Verdiana to use, and she could only stand where she was and stammer at her as she watched the resulting round of attacks. Grady's sharpedo landed the first hit. He sprayed water around himself and skated forward at tremendous speed, landing a perfectly aimed, watery tackle at the first geodude in his path – Boulderdash. The geodude he'd hit went down immediately, but Pebbles escaped unharmed. She ripped up a chunk of earth from the floor and hurled it at Verdiana. Verdiana was so intent on hearing her command from Hitomi that she hadn't been paying attention, and the rock hit her on her back left flank. She cried out in pain, and Hitomi gasped as she saw the deep gash the jagged rock had torn into her leg. "Oh my gosh!" She sputtered. "What do I do?"

"Fight back, o' course!" Grady hollered. "Give her a command, already!"

"Verdiana! Give her a taste of grass power!" Hitomi shrieked. "Magical Leaf!"

"Not so fast!" Wilbur laughed. "I've got another one!" He tossed out his third pokémon, who happened to be yet another geodude. "I've saved the best for last. Meet Slab! All right you two! Again! Rock throw at the tropius!"

Hitomi felt anger flush her cheeks with redness. This little brat was purposely ganging up on Verdiana because of her flying type weakness. What a little twerp!

"Aqua jet again, Shrapnel!" Grady commanded. "One more time!"

It had taken her a minute to steady herself, but now Verdiana was prepared. Growling menacingly, she buzzed her wings, and small leafy pieces shook loose. They swirled around her for a moment, and then they shot towards Pebbles, shimmering brightly as they flew.

Both Pebbles and Slab had been in the process of ripping up chunks of stone when they were hit. It was a simple question of speed, and both Verdiana and Shrapnel had the advantage in that department. Much to Hitomi's relieved surprise, Verdiana's attack knocked Pebbles flat, and Shrapnel's made short work of Slab. Within only a few moments, the battle was over.

"Bleh," Wilbur groaned. "Return, you three. What a mess. Now I have to clean up the floor AND take my pokémon to the center..."

"We did it!" Hitomi cried, jumping for joy. Péle chirped excitedly as Hitomi squeezed him in her elation. "Verdiana, we did it!"

Verdiana reared up on her hind legs to celebrate with her, but she promptly fell back again and let out a sharp cry of pain. Hitomi remembered the hit she'd taken, and she stopped jumping around. "Oh, I forgot," she gasped. "Maybe we should go back," she said nervously, glancing at Grady. "I don't have my super potions with me."

"No need," Grady replied. "I have some. Here we go. This should make you right as rain, Verdiana." He set his umbreon down, then he fished a super potion out of his pack. He bent down beside Verdiana and sprayed her wound with the restorative. "There we go," he laughed as Verdiana craned her neck to see her gash regenerating itself closed. "Ready for the next battle?"

"I didn't do so great, did I?" Hitomi replied, furrowing her brow in consternation. "I got distracted, and Verdiana got hurt. I don't want that to happen again."

"We all make mistakes," Grady laughed. "Cheer up. You know better now. And Verdiana forgives you, don't you, girl?"

As if to agree, Verdiana reared up on her hind legs successfully this time, and she let out a cry of triumph, her voice reverberating throughout the gym. Hitomi laughed. She resolved to keep her cool from now on, for Verdiana's sake.

"You guys are pretty good," Wilbur conceded, handing Hitomi some money for winning. "But you've got a long way to go before you're good enough to take on Roxanne. She's way stronger than any of us gym trainers. You'll see."

"I'm sure we will," Grady replied, smiling. "Thanks for the battle. It was well worth the time spent." He winked at Hitomi.

They left the room with the defeated trainer and proceeded down the hallway. This time Hitomi kept on guard. She looked down at Péle, who darted his eyes to the left. She understood the signal. "There's one up ahead, on the left," she whispered to Grady.

"Right," he replied. "Let's go take him on then. Come on, Shrapnel." The jagged fish snapped his jaws in anticipation and hopped alongside his owner, growling ferociously. Hitomi kept as far away from him as she could. He was a very menacing creature!

"Hi there," Grady greeted the gym trainer as they rounded the corner of the next room. This room was nearly identical to the one before. "We're here to challenge the gym. I take it we have to defeat you before we can see Roxanne, right?"

"That's right!" The little boy cried. This one was slightly shorter than Wilbur, and he had a more definite tan, along with striking blonde hair. "My name's Fred! Are you two a team?"

"Yeah," Grady replied. "We are. Are you ready?"

"Hang on," Fred replied. "I have to get my partner. I only have one pokémon." He dashed off down the hallway, leaving them alone for the moment.

"I wonder how close we are to Roxanne," Hitomi remarked, shifting Péle's weight in her arms uncomfortably. "How many of these battles will we have to go through?"

"No telling," Grady returned. "This could be the last, or we could have a dozen more. "Really, it just depends on how many trainers catch the gym leader's eye. This gym didn't look very big to me, though. I'm guessing we don't have too many left to go."

"I hope not," Hitomi laughed nervously. "I'd rather not spend too much time in one place."

Grady didn't press her for further details, for which she was glad. She glanced down at Péle and frowned. The longer she remained here, the easier it'd be for Genji's spies – or Genji himself – to track her down.

It wasn't long at all before Fred returned with a girl of about the same age trotting along behind him. "Hi there!" She squeaked at them. "I'm Penny! I'm Freddie's girlfriend!" She giggled a bit and her cheeks flushed. Fred's turned even brighter red.

"I told you not to say that!" He groaned at her. "Geez. Anyway, we're ready now. Two against two fine with you guys?"

"Yeah," Grady replied, nodding at Hitomi. "That's one from each of us. Fair enough. We're ready whenever you guys are."

"Right!" Fred shot back. "Come on out, Blockhead!" He released what else but another geodude. Hitomi wondered if anyone in this gym had anything different. She soon got her answer.

"Go, Igneous!" Penny cried, releasing a much larger pokémon. This one was far more intimidating. It was a gigantic serpentine conglomeration of boulders, with a fierce-looking, singly horned head. Hitomi began to back away, but Grady touched her arm lightly.

"It's an Onix," he whispered to her. "Don't worry. It's not going to hurt you. I'll take care of it. You send Verdy after the Geodude."

She nodded. Verdiana lumbered forward, and Grady commanded Shrapnel to do the same. Hitomi told Verdiana to use Magical Leaf on the Geodude, and Grady told Shrapnel to use Aqua jet again, this time on the Onix.

Before the two kids had a chance to tell their rock pokémon how to retaliate, Shrapnel's attack hit the Onix, and Verdiana's hit the Geodude. Hitomi was delighted to see Blockhead go down immediately, but wasn't quite so elated with the fact that Igneous didn't seem to be all that hurt by Shrapnel.

"Teehee," Penny giggled. "You think a physical attack like Aqua jet can damage my sturdy little guy? It'll take a lot more than that. Igneous, bind up that little fishy."

With a growl that sounded like two rough boulders cracking and grinding, the enormous pokémon leapt forward and coiled itself around the surprised Shrapnel. Its irregular coils were surprisingly effective in squeezing him fast, much to Shrapnel's growing fury. He snapped his jaws viciously, and Hitomi could see water streaming down in between the Onix's coils as Shrapnel tried to call forth another aqua jet. Unfortunately, Igneous seemed virtually uneffected by the trickling water, and Shrapnel was unable to move around enough to pull off the watery charge effectively.

"Tch," Grady muttered. "In close range, all I can do is bite it... I could try rage I suppose, but with Shrapnel's weak defenses I don't think he'll last long enough to make good use of it."

"Ha ha!" Fred laughed triumphantly. "You've got 'em on the ropes now, Pen! You know what to do!"

"Right," Penny giggled. "Igneous, use harden! That little fishy can't hurt you with his nasty attacks if you build up your defenses! Let him break his teeth off on your hide if he wants!"

"Hold it!" Hitomi bellowed. "Don't forget we're still here! Verdiana! Can you use Magical Leaf on that Onix without hitting Shrapnel?"

Verdiana didn't even bother with a reply. Instead, she fired off her attack, and her aim was true. The swirling, sparkling leaves hit Igneous right in the middle of his face, and he howled in pain, releasing Shrapnel and thrashing about wildly. His eyes and most of his face were completely covered by the leaves, and Hitomi could see that they had embedded themselves deep within his tough hide. She marveled at the burrowing power of grass attacks. It was as if they had a life of their own.

"Good job, Hitomi! Verdiana!" Grady yelled excitedly. "Shrapnel! Finish it off with another aqua jet!"

But there was no need. With a haunting, gravelly cry, the Onix fell with a crash onto the floor, nearly squashing his trainer, who had to leap out of the way to avoid it. "Yowch!" She yelped, skinning her knees on the rocky floor and clenching her teeth in pain. "That really smarts!"

"Sorry about that," Hitomi gasped. "Are you all right?"

"Don't worry about her," Fred laughed, helping Penny back up. "She's as tough as me. We get scraped and banged up a bit with every battle!"

Penny giggled. "At least I don't cry as much as he does."

"Hey!" Fred exclaimed. "That's not funny!"

Just the same, they both laughed. They recalled their pokémon, and Fred handed Grady his and Hitomi's winnings. "Up ahead is Roxanne, our gym leader," he warned. "She doesn't fight with a partner, because she doesn't need one. Our pokémon are a cakewalk compared to hers. You'd better be ready."

"Thanks," Grady replied. "We will be. Come on, Shrapnel. Let's go, Hitomi!"

"Thanks for the battle," Hitomi said quickly, grinning at Verdiana and following Grady as quickly as her feet (sprain included) could take her. Verdiana lumbered along behind, and before long they had left Fred and Penny to chat with each other about what tactics they'd try the next time.

"Is Shrapnel going to be okay?" Hitomi asked Grady. "Was he hurt badly?"

"Naw, bind doesn't do a lot of damage," Grady explained. "It's mainly for holding you still. That Penny was pretty sharp. She knew that if she could force me into using close combat moves, she'd have the advantage. Still, she should have known she wouldn't be able to hold out with you still there. She should have tried using a rock move on Verdiana instead of building up her defenses."

"I'm glad that she didn't," Hitomi remarked. "But maybe Verdiana would have managed to hit her first even if she did."

"More than likely," he replied with a grin. "Onix aren't known for their speed, and that one was also being held back by his grip on Shrapnel. There wasn't much chance that he'd land an attack on Verdiana, providing she'd managed to aim right for him like she did."

"This is it!" Hitomi gasped, realizing that they had walked beyond the sandstone walls into a wide arena. Boulders were placed at odd intervals all around the room, and at the end of it, there was a girl about Hitomi's age standing at attention and watching them intently. She had long, dark-brown hair, and she was wearing a short, navy blue school frock with bright pink leggings. She wasn't at all what Hitomi had been expecting.

"That's Roxanne?" she asked dubiously, glancing at Grady. "That school kid?"

"Must be," Grady replied, laughing and shrugging. "True talent knows no age limits. Come on. Let's go introduce ourselves."

They made their way past the boulders, and the small party of people and pokémon came to a stop about ten feet away from the platform where Roxanne was standing. Grady cleared his throat and issued their challenge.

"We have come to challenge you," he began. "My name is Grady, and this is Hitomi. In addition to the challenge, we also seek your help. We were hoping you might be able to speak with us about something important."

Nice one, Grady, Hitomi thought admiringly. Although she hadn't yet told him why she wanted to speak to the gym leader, he must have sensed that it was really important. She appreciated the way he had worded that.

"Welcome, challengers!" Roxanne replied in a clear, confident tone. "I am Roxanne. I am a user of powerful rock-type pokémon. I have received your challenge and I accept. If you would like to speak to me about anything other than the battle at hand, it can wait until after the battle is over. For now, let's take care of your challenge!"

"Fair enough," Grady replied with a grin. "We are a team. What are your terms?"

"Two pokémon from each of you against my two," she replied, smiling confidently. "Choose wisely."

"That's quite a handicap you've given us!" Grady gasped.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not," she replied, grinning at him. "That depends upon the pokémon involved, wouldn't you say? My pokémon have easily outlasted teams of six in the past. Your four will have to be very skilled to take them down."

"I see," Grady replied. "All right then. We accept. Right, Hitomi?"

"I... I guess so," she replied, bewildered. Did that mean that Péle was one of the four?

"Good. Take your positions," Roxanne replied, pointing to a platform on the opposite end of the gym. "Send out your pokémon and be ready to battle the moment they enter the field."

"Come on, Hitomi," Grady said. "You stay here, Shrapnel."

"Yeah, you too, Verdiana," Hitomi agreed, grinning as the bulky grass pokémon trumpeted at her in assent. As they trotted over to the platform, Grady whispered instructions to Hitomi.

"We'll have to concentrate our attacks on one pokémon at a time if we want to win this," he explained. "Otherwise we'll be taking two hits for longer than we need. I'll let you know which one to attack first. Just follow my lead."

"Okay," she whispered back. Grady leaped up onto the platform and helped Hitomi up after him.

"Let's begin," Roxanne called to them from across the arena. She tossed out two pokéballs. One of the pokémon that materialized was another geodude. The other one was one Hitomi had seen and actually remembered from her studies.

"A nosepass!" She gasped. "Those are really rare!"

"Shrapnel!" Grady called out. "Aqua jet at the Geodude!"

"Verdiana!" Hitomi cried, catching herself just in time. "Magical leaf at the Geodude!"

Roxanne shouted out her commands whilst Hitomi and Grady were shouting theirs. "Geodude! Rock throw at the tropius! nosepass, give the sharpedo a taste of thunder wave!"

Shrapnel's aqua jet hit first. It almost took out the geodude, but not quite. As Geodude gathered rocks for his counterattack on Verdiana, she shot a flurry of leaves at him, finishing the job. Now Roxanne was down to just her nosepass. While Hitomi and Grady gave each other a high-five, Shrapnel braced itself for nosepass' attack. The nosepass sent a concentrated wave of static energy at Shrapnel. Although it had taken a while for the slow rock pokémon to gather the energy, the wave traveled with frightening speed. Shrapnel had no opportunity to dodge it. It grunted as it was hit, and it flopped over onto its side and twitched a good bit before righting itself.

"Rats!" Grady growled. "Come on, Shrapnel! You can do it, buddy!"

"This isn't over!" Roxanne cried. "nosepass! Rock throw! Hit the tropius!"

"Watch out, Verdiana!" Hitomi yelled. "Fly up high! Stay out of its range!"

"No, wait!" Grady shouted. But it was too late. Verdiana had followed Hitomi's commands and had bobbed quickly up into the air.

Roxanne grinned triumphantly. "Ready! Aim! Fire!" She ordered at her nosepass, who had just collected a large pile of beach-ball sized rocks and had begun to lift them into the air by some unseen force. Without a sound, the rocks rocketed toward the high ceiling, arcing gracefully just below the ceiling surface. They fanned out as they shot toward Verdiana, and within seconds, Hitomi realized why Grady had tried to stop her. Verdiana was too big and bulky to pull off the evasive maneuvers she would have needed to dodge all of the rocks. She was hit twice – once in the chest, and once at the base of her right wing leaves. She screeched in pain and was sent spinning through the air from the impacts. She plummeted to the floor and landed with a thunderous crash. She didn't move again.

"Verdiana!" Hitomi shrieked, ready to dive off the platform and rush to the aid of the injured pokémon. But Grady grabbed her arm to stop her.

"You aren't allowed to leave the platform," he warned. "It's too dangerous. This battle is still going!"

"Shrapnel! Use your aqua jet! Quickly!" he cried, pointing a finger at the nosepass.

"You'd better call out your next pokémon soon," Roxanne warned Hitomi. "This one's about to fall! nosepass, rock throw again! This time aim for the sharpedo!"

Shrapnel made a quick skid forward, but fell flat on its snout as spasms of pain went shooting through its body, immobilizing it and cutting his charge short. Hitomi watched in horror as the nosepass gathered a few more rocks and sent them hurtling at the immobilized water pokémon. With a sickening squelching sound, one of them hit Shrapnel right in the side and then bounced off of him. Shrapnel snapped his jaws momentarily, but then they fell slack as he lost consciousness.

Suddenly an idea flashed in Hitomi's mind. "Wait a minute," she gasped. "Péle, I've got an idea!"

Péle didn't need her to tell him what she had in mind. He could see it all clearly within his own the moment the idea had hit hers. With a fierce chirp, he leapt out of her arms and hopped boldly out into the arena. His widened eyes snapped back to their normal size, and suddenly Hitomi remembered all.

"Wha? Oh, that's right!" She cried. "Urgh! No time to worry about it now. Péle, you know what to do!"

"What are you doing?" Grady demanded. "Sending that little flying type natu out there is suicide!"

"Just give me a chance," she replied, her eyes burning with determination. "I have an idea, and I just know Péle can do it! Give him room. Don't send out your second just yet. Any other pokémon on the field would just be more targets for the rock throw."

"A natu?" Roxanne laughed. "You're kidding, right? That little pipsqueak will just get popped like a water balloon by the rocks!"

"Try us," Hitomi shot back, her voice challenging and confident. "Don't count him out just because he's small. He may not be big, but he's strong enough to finish that nosepass!"

"Bold words. Let's see if you can back them up. You know what to do, nosepass," she ordered. "Rock throw at the natu. Let's teach this trainer what happens when flying types mess with the Rustboro Gym!"

The nosepass obeyed. It gathered a nice supply of rocks and hurled the whole pile at Péle.

"Now, Péle!" Hitomi cried.

Péle screeched, and beat his wings. Before the rocks had even gone twenty feet into the air, he had teleported to the nosepass' side. He hopped up onto its head and dug his tiny claws into the crevices in its rocky head. Roxanne barely had time to gasp before Péle had teleported again, this time taking the nosepass with it. He brought him to the exact place where he had been standing before nosepass had attacked, and he teleported away again, just in time for the pile of rocks to come crashing down onto the disoriented nosepass.

"Well played," Roxanne said, the admiration unmistakable in her voice. "Too bad it's not going to affect nosepass all that much. His rock and steel type advantages protect him from rock attacks. You barely scratched him!"

"I figured as much," Hitomi replied, grinning at her. "That's why that wasn't the brunt of our attack. Go for it, Péle!"

Péle had teleported a safe distance away from the nosepass, and again, his eyes widened. His feathers bristled and he screeched as he used his psychic attack. The psychic waves hit the nosepass head-on, but due to all the heavy rocks on and around him, he barely moved. His cry of pain was unmistakable though. It was like steel girders being bent and torn in half. It made goose bumps prickle up on Hitomi's skin, and she clamped her hands over her ears.

"Get up, nosepass!" Roxanne yelled, realizing all too late what a dangerous position her pokémon was in. nosepass tried to recover from his shock, but he never had a chance to shift a single rock. Péle wasn't done yet.

He shot wave after wave of psychic energy at the nosepass, bombarding him with his power. Within less than a minute, the nosepass had fainted, his body almost indistinguishable from the boulders around him. Were it not for his metallic luster, someone viewing him from the back like Hitomi was might have thought he was part of the gym decor.

"I can see now that I underestimated you," Roxanne sighed, recalling her nosepass and her geodude. "You two win. Come forth and collect your prizes."

Hitomi didn't wait for her to say it again. She ignored the pain in her ankle as she jumped off the platform and made a mad dash for Verdiana. Péle hopped over to her side and cocked his head to one side as he studied his leafy friend.

"Grady," Hitomi replied, her voice quavering with fear. "She won't wake up! What do we do? We can't just drag her to the pokémon center!"

"Hang on," he replied, returning Shrapnel to his pokéball. "I've got a revive in here somewhere..." He fished around in his pack until he found a crystalline yellow substance. He jogged over to Verdiana and popped it into her mouth. "Stand back," he warned Hitomi, pulling her away from Verdiana.

Verdiana released a grunt of surprise and her limbs gave a jerk. She began thrashing them about wildly in an attempt to get to her feet. She did so with considerable trouble, and she spun about, gaping at her surroundings. She was panting with hoarse, ragged breaths, and her right wing dangled down over her side, having crumpled at the base. She looked as though she was still in a lot of pain, but thankfully, she was alive. Hitomi felt tears of relief well up in her eyes. Péle hopped around Verdiana, chirping with joy to see her up and on her feet again. She hung her head and shot him a labored snort to let him know that she was all right. Satisfied, he hopped back over to Hitomi and leapt back into her arms. Shaking, she went up to Verdiana and placed a hand on her quivering neck.

"You did very well, girl," she whispered, the tears stinging in her eyes. "I'm so proud to have you with me. I promise we're going to get you back to your old self in no time!"

Verdiana raised her head and nuzzled Hitomi's cheek reassuringly. She panted in her face, her breath smelling like an unidentifiable sort of sweet, fragrant fruit.

"And Péle, you were fantastic!" She gushed, squeezing him as she would a teddy bear. "I can't believe my idea actually worked! You pulled it off like it was nothing!"

Péle would have chirped an answer back at her, but he could feel a peculiar sensation taking hold of him, and he had been shocked into silence by it. He suddenly began to glow with an odd, white light. It was so bright that Hitomi shrieked in surprise and dropped him, shielding her eyes from the blinding display. Péle landed neatly on his feet, and he stood rigidly in place, quivering slightly with the energy that was emanating from his body.

"What's happening?" She gasped. "Grady, why's he glowing like that?"

"He's... evolving!" Grady replied in awe. "Hitomi, he's becoming a xatu!"

"What? But how can that be?" She gasped. "He's just a child!"

If Péle hadn't been so overcome with the power that had begun to envelope his body, he would have turned and squawked at her indignantly. Instead, he began to morph. His eyes widened and he let out a frightened chirp as he began to feel his body grow and change shape.

"This _is_ a treat!" Roxanne cried. She dashed over to watch the evolution more closely. "I've never seen a natu evolve!"

Hitomi couldn't answer her. She was too shocked by the revelation of Péle's transformation to pay any attention to anything but him.

Within seconds, Péle had changed form completely. And with a shrill tweet, he flung his new, powerful wings open wide, issuing forth a bright burst of light and energy, causing all present to shield their eyes. When it had gone, Hitomi peered out at him from between her fingers, and she gasped in wonder. Péle dropped his wings to his sides, and he turned to face her, his movements deliberate and solemn.

"The time has come to act," he told them all. "Our location has been revealed to Neo Perfection, and there are men coming here to apprehend us."


	11. Chapter 11: The Conspirators' New Allies

"Péle?" Hitomi stammered, staring at the unfamiliar, solemn bird that met her gaze with bright, knowing eyes. No longer was he the diminutive, child-like creature she had come to know. The pokémon before her now looked different in virtually every way. At nearly five feet tall, he was practically the same size as she was, and he was able to stare her down, eye to eye, unlike the rather unobtrusive way he used to look up at her when he was only a natu. His voice was different too. For one thing, it was deeper, and more mature-sounding. He also no longer seemed to have the limited vocabulary he'd had as a natu. His large, bright eyes were one of the few things about him that seemed familiar to Hitomi at all, and as she stared into them, she began to realize that they were indeed the same eyes staring back at her. Although his body had changed shape, he had grown taller, and his markings had become more striking and colorful, he was undeniably still Péle. "How did this happen?" she asked him in wonder. "I had no idea you were so close to evolution."

"I have a confession to make," he replied, slightly averting his gaze in evident embarrassment. "I've actually been physically capable of evolution for the past two or three weeks. I've been repressing the urge all this time, out of fear."

"Fear?" she responded, the bewilderment clear in her face. "But why would you be afraid of evolution? Is it painful?"

"No," he laughed, his eyes squinting a bit as he chuckled with mirth. "Not at all. No, what I feared was the unknown. I knew, as all my people know, that when the time comes for evolution, anything may happen. Old friends can become enemies. Trust, friendship, and understanding take a jarring blow from the sudden change. Even love can fail. Many of my kind hold onto their natu forms for many years. But sooner or later," he added, extending his wings to show her his beautiful, emerald green plumage, complete with yellow stripes and face like eye markings, "we all succumb. Eventually, curiosity wins out over fear in the end. And in ideal circumstances, the announcement of the process is made ahead of time, so that all can become ready. In my village, we often have a ceremony under every full moon for just such occasions. I, however, hadn't the luxury. I had to choose to evolve right here and now, out of necessity. I had to take whatever risks may come, so that I could be ready for the danger that imminently threatens us all. Without this evolution, I would not be strong enough to protect everyone. I hope, Hitomi, that you aren't afraid of me in this form. If so, I will... I will keep my distance to make you less uncomfortable. Forgive me. I wish I'd told you already about all of this. I hesitated, and now things have come to this."

Hitomi was more than just a little taken aback. He had been afraid that evolving would make her afraid of him again. As she considered what this meant, she found herself asking if she'd been afraid of him at all there at the end, and she didn't have to search long for the answer. She stared at him again, and all at once she knew that, no matter what shape he changed into, or what attacks he learned, he would make good on his promise. He was there to protect her, and he wasn't going to hurt her. She wasn't afraid of him. She couldn't be afraid of him. He was Péle. He was her friend.

"Don't be an idiot," she chuckled, feeling tears of relief begin to form in her eyes. "Why should I be scared of you? Pipsqueak or not, you're still Péle. Besides, who'd be scared of a shrimpy totem pole like you?" She laughed and gave him a playful shove, and he tweeted with delight.

"This is incredible, Péle!" Grady exclaimed. Suddenly Hitomi realized that she'd forgotten all about him and Roxanne. "You look awesome! I'll bet you're way stronger too! You're definitely smarter! You speak a lot more understandably," he laughed good-naturedly.

"He shouldn't even be able to talk at all!" Roxanne spluttered, pointing at Péle, her face a white mixture of confusion and shock. "How can this be possible? No one's ever heard of a talking pokémon! At least, I haven't, anyway!"

"All will be explained in due time," Péle assured her, giving her a courteous bow. "But at the present, we don't have the time to discuss it here. Please, before they reach the door – all of you place your hands upon me. I must transport us to a safer location."

"Come on!" Grady cried, grabbing Roxanne's hand and leading her to Péle. "He's right. If he senses our enemies here, we shouldn't stay. Come on, Hitomi! Verdiana!"

Hitomi put her hand on Péle's left wing, while Grady mashed the hand of the confused, protesting Roxanne on Péle's right, as he put his other hand on the left wing next to Hitomi's. Verdiana stumbled over to them and rested her head ever so lightly on Péle's head. The moment she made contact, Péle's pupils dilated slightly, and he let out a shrill tweet. Instantaneously, they disappeared, just before the gym doors burst open, and a dozen men clad in dark green fatigues burst inside, brandishing pokéballs and rushing through the gym in search of their target. But search as they may, they found no trace of Hitomi, her friends, or the gym leader Roxanne, save the scattered bits of stone reminders of their battles.

"Boss Genji won't be pleased," their team leader said darkly. He ordered his men to round up all the gym trainers and find out whatever information they could from them. If they went back to HQ completely empty-handed, they were all in for it.

------------------------

When they all reappeared in the cave, Roxanne was still shouting protests and shrieking at them. But when she saw where she was, she stopped speaking altogether, and she backed away quickly, drawing a Pokeball from her belt and holding it up with a shaking hand. "What the hell is the meaning of all of this?" she demanded, glaring at them distrustfully. "How dare you spirit me away from my gym without my permission? This... this is kidnapping, and I'll have you all know that I'm very dangerous when threatened!"

"Whoa, calm down!" Hitomi exclaimed, holding up her hands. "We had no choice! Neo Perfection was coming! It was either leave without you and let them brainwash you, or take you with us and keep you safe!"

Understandably, Roxanne understood next to none of what she'd just been told, and she believed even less. "I think you'd better explain," she said icily, not withdrawing her pokéball. If she'd bothered to remember that both her pokémon were still fainted, she wouldn't have continued to brandish it at them like a weapon, but her instincts were overruling her reason.

Hitomi did as she asked. She told Roxanne about her parents, and how they'd gotten themselves mixed up with Neo Perfection. She told her about Péle, his village, and of their escape during the night after Fortree had been seized. She told her about Genji, and of his plans for the world, and of how she'd met Grady, who'd agreed to help her. "And we knew that we had to find powerful allies," she said breathlessly as she finished. "So we began with you. We need to track down all the gym leaders who haven't been brainwashed, and get them to help us."

"This is unbelievable," Roxanne gasped, staring first at Hitomi, then at Grady, and then at Péle, trying to see if any of them might begin laughing at the joke they'd pulled on her. "Are you honestly telling me that there are gym leaders under this guy's control already?"

"There's at least one," Hitomi replied grimly. "Winona of Fortree has been under their spell for several days already. "I don't know how many others there are."

"This is very disturbing news!" Roxanne replied, frowning and shaking her head. "I don't know if I can believe you without some kind of proof. It's just too out there."

"Proof?" Péle asked, cocking his head quizzically at her. "The proof is in your very own gym at this moment. There are currently Neo Perfectionists interrogating your trainers to find out where you and we have gone. It is mere chance and good fortune that there weren't enough men nearby with enough power amongst themselves to take the whole city. As it is, they'll most likely leave to report to their superiors what they have – and haven't – found."

"Hold the phone! Wait a minute!" Roxanne cried. "Are you saying there are dangerous people in my gym, harassing my trainers? And you expect me to stay here, with you, and just let them have their way?"

"There's nothing else we can do," Hitomi said helplessly. "There are too many of them for us to face alone. You heard Péle. I have two pokémon, and one of them's injured. Both of yours are fainted, aren't they? And that just leaves Grady. And if we show up now," she added, turning to Grady and frowning, "then we'll lose the element of surprise, and we'll ruin your plan."

"Well, I suppose we could do something," Grady replied slowly, glancing at Péle with a queer expression on his face. "Péle, do you think you could use that teleport technique of yours to jump in there and rescue Roxanne's gym trainers?"

"It depends," he replied, understanding what Grady was asking him. "It depends upon whether or not they can be removed from their contact. If one or more of the men from Neo Perfection make contact with me or them before I transport them away, then I'll be transporting not just the gym trainers, but also any Neo Perfectionists that are touching either of us."

"I've an idea," Grady replied. "How about instead of first teleporting to the cave, you teleport to just outside the gym? That way we can catch 'em off guard and disoriented, and pull the trainers out of reach long enough to teleport away."

"It sounds plausible," Péle replied, his expression brightening. "But it will likely take more than one trip. If the trainers aren't together, which I doubt they will be, we'll have to come for them one at a time, and any trips after the first will be anticipated."

"Please, let's do it," Roxanne interjected, stepping forward and balling her hands into fists. "If all this is true, then I can't bear to leave any of my trainers behind. I owe it to them as their leader to get them out of danger. Please take me with you. I'm not as strong as my pokémon, but I'll beat the tar out of anyone who dares threaten my trainers!"

It was decided that Grady and Roxanne would undertake the mission. Péle refused to involve Hitomi, as she was still injured and couldn't be counted upon to move quickly enough. She would stay in the cave with Verdiana and explain things to the trainers as they were transported there. At first Hitomi protested vehemently, but although she felt hurt and angry with the decision, she knew it was the right one. She would only get in the way, and both speed and courage would be needed – two things she seemed to have in short supply these days. So dejectedly, she agreed to do what she could for the gym trainers, and she began to rebuild the fire and make the cave more comfortable.

"Be on your toes," Grady warned Roxanne. "Don't hesitate to punch 'em where it counts. Let's go, Péle!"

In a flash they had gone. Hitomi grumbled something unintelligible about how Grady could take his plan and shove it somewhere unpleasant, but inwardly she was more worried than angry. Having to stay here and wait was worse than facing the danger herself. She glanced anxiously over at Verdiana, who had lain down to rest back inside the cave.

"How are you feeling, girl?" she asked, limping over and putting a hand on Verdiana's back. Verdiana raised her head and snorted at her. She seemed more comfortable than they had been in the gym, at least. But she was still injured. The revive hadn't really healed her wounds, and she was still in pain. Maybe Hitomi could do something for Verdiana while she waited for the others.

"Hold on a minute, okay?" she ordered, digging around inside her shopping bag, which she'd hidden behind the firewood, out of view of the cave entrance. "I still have my super potions. Let's get you fixed up."

It took two of them to cover all of Verdiana's injuries, but within minutes she was as good as new again. Verdiana stretched her mended wing and growled a happy, throaty growl. She butted Hitomi playfully with her head, and Hitomi laughed at her and shoved her away. "Knock it off," she chuckled. "You'll knock me over, and if I bump my head, who's gonna use a super potion on me, anyway?"

She put the empty potion bottles into the shopping bag, remembering that they could be recycled at the next pokémon mart she visited, and then she rested on the floor next to Verdiana, anxiously waiting for the others to return. Why was it taking so long? They should have been back already.

Hitomi was just about ready to ask Verdiana if she wanted to take off and look for them, when suddenly Péle returned. He brought Grady, Roxanne, and her three gym trainers with him. They had all made it!

"Thank goodness!" she exclaimed, leaping to her feet and coming over to meet them. "I was beginning to get worried!"

"It was actually pretty easy," Grady laughed, scratching the back of his head. "When Neo Perfection realized that none of these trainers knew what had happened to us, they left them alone and took off after us. Whether they were waiting for Roxanne to return or not, we're not sure, because as soon as we had rounded these three up, we came right back." 

Hitomi glanced at the trainers they'd battled earlier, and she gasped. "Fred, what happened?" she exclaimed. "You look terrible!"

And indeed he did. His face was bruised and swollen, and he was clutching his midsection, as though he had a stomachache. Penny was helping him stay steady on his feet, and was leading him over to the cave wall so that he could sit down and lean against it. "Those awful men did this to him," she retorted, her face blotchy and red. "He tried to fight back and they beat him up."

"What did you expect me to do?" he laughed weakly. "They grabbed you and tried to take you away. D'you think I'd let 'em do that?"

"They asked each of us what happened after you battled Roxanne," Wilbur explained. "They separated us and asked each of us individually. There was this Drowzee, and it kept staring at me," he added, shuddering. "It was like, even if I had wanted to lie to them, I got the feeling that it'd attack me if I did. But I didn't know what happened, so they never found out from me. I was so busy fixing what my pokémon had done to the floor that I never had a chance to go watch you guys battle Roxanne."

"It was the same with us," Penny continued. "Roxanne asks that we keep the gym in top shape in case of busy days. We were busy picking up too. They interrogated me with a kadabra," she added, shuddering.

"I got a Kirlia," Fred groaned. "All I could get from it was a feeling of confusion. I don't think it wanted to be there any more than I did. But you could tell it was scared. There's no telling what it might have done to me, or to anyone if they scared it bad enough. Anyway, whatever you guys did to tick these people off, they sure are dead set on finding you. I'm glad we didn't know. I hate to think what they intend to do to you."

"We're not what's most important," Hitomi explained. "But in a way, we are important enough. We're the few people on the outside who are aware of who these guys are and what they're doing. Since we know, it's our job to get the word out. We're getting everyone we can to join us in putting a stop to them."

"Whatever you need, you can count on me," Penny spoke up. "They can't get away with doing this to _my_ Freddie. I'll bury 'em in a landslide!"

"Good!" Péle exclaimed. "I had a feeling you would feel that way! What about you two?" he asked, staring first at Wilbur, and then at Fred. "Will you help us as well?"

"Did... did that pokémon just talk?" Fred gasped. "Pen, I think they hit me on the head a little too hard!"

"I think we'd better start from the beginning," Grady laughed. "Come on. I'll make us some lunch, and we'll explain everything."

A pot of stew and much explanation later, and everyone knew the situation as it stood. Unlike Roxanne, the gym trainers had no problem believing their story, since they had seen the Neo Perfectionists themselves. They all agreed that they'd do whatever it took to fight them off and keep their town and the world safe.

"The greatest weapon we have right now is information," Hitomi explained. "We need to let as many people know about this as is possible. If we can do that, then we'll be able to discourage Neo Perfection from doing anything major for a while. They're not strong enough yet to take on all of Hoenn."

"That's not necessarily true," Péle disagreed. "The part where they won't do anything, I mean," he added. "It's possible that alerting everyone might instead force them into playing their hand. I think that we do need to warn people, but we need to do it as discreetly as possible. And not just people either," he continued, flinging his wings open wide. "Don't forget that there are also pokémon in this world. They have as much a stake in this conflict as any of you do. Neo Perfection intends to use them as they would use you. I think that, in addition to warning the people of this land, we should also be warning the Pokémon."

"That's a great idea!" Penny exclaimed. "And you could do it, couldn't you? Since you're a pokémon, you could tell any pokémon we meet what to watch out for!"

"Yes, I could, but it wouldn't be enough," he replied, even though he was visibly pleased by her vote of confidence. Penny had already taken a noticeable liking to Péle. "What I'll do is alert the local pokémon of the situation, and ask them to pass it along to their neighbors, and have it passed along by word of mouth that way. The news will spread quickly that way. Once the pokémon of our land are aware of the danger, they will be better able to prepare themselves for it. But still," he continued, with a note of sadness in his voice, "we will need the help of humanity. My father knew this, and he still does. It was his idea to get the humans involved, and I intend to carry his plan out to its extent."

"Speaking of your father, Péle," Hitomi interrupted, having a sudden flash of inspiration, "I just had an idea. If we could get word to him, would he and the rest of your village be able to spread out across Hoenn and help us spread the word to the pokémon?"

Péle gave a start, and he stared at Hitomi with clear admiration. "That's an idea!" he exclaimed. "But how would we find them? I don't dare try to contact the elder over such a large distance. I don't know how to limit my telepathy to just a single person or Pokemon yet, and if I try to project my thoughts across such a large distance, anyone along the way could intercept them."

"We might try flying back to Petalburg," she offered. "Genji will have gone by now. It's possible that there are other Neo Perfectionists there by now, but we should be able to sense them before we get there. Otherwise I'd suggest you teleport me there."

"It's a good idea," Grady agreed. "We could all go. All of us couldn't fit on Verdiana, but Roxanne and the gym trainers could. Molly can fly me too, as long as we don't go too far. She's taken me the distance it'd take to get from here to Petalburg before easily. As for Hitomi," he mused, studying her and then looking at Péle, "maybe Péle could carry her."

"What?" Hitomi replied, realizing that she didn't like where this was going. "He's not even as big as me! How could he carry me?"

"Flying pokémon have very powerful wings," Grady laughed. "How else do you suppose a little bird like Molly would be able to fly with me?"

"I have little doubt that I could do it," Péle encouraged her, stretching his wings out wide for her to see. "My strength increased when I evolved. I could carry you for a great distance indeed. Don't forget that it is the duty of a xatu to help transport the natu of his village in times of crisis. I could carry many on my back at once. Although to carry you, I'd have to hold you with my feet," he laughed, raising a leg to show her his long, slender toes. Each one had a long, slightly hooked talon at its end. Hitomi imagined how it'd feel to have them digging into her shoulders, and she gulped.

"I don't know," she mumbled, noticing that they were all of the opinion that it was the right idea. "Maybe we should try a test run or something first."

"Good idea," Grady agreed, laughing despite his attempts to keep from hurting her feelings. "Anyway, before we go, we need to warn the rest of Rustboro," he continued, frowning and turning to Roxanne. "If she comes along, they'll be left to handle things without her help."

"You make a very good point," Roxanne laughed. "So good, in fact, that I'm afraid I can't agree to come along. Instead, I'm going to stay behind and help Rustboro prepare for the worst. I carry a lot of weight with the city officials. They'll believe me when I tell them what's going on. Do any of you want to stay behind too?" she asked the gym trainers, frowning at them. "Fred, I think you should for sure. We ought to get you home so your mom can tend to those cuts and bruises. I'm sure you'll be fine, but it's better to be safe than sorry."

"Aw, Roxanne," Fred whined. "I'm fine! Just a little banged up, is all! I want to help out! I don't wanna be stuck at home when all the action's out here!"

"I'll stay with him," Penny interrupted, smacking him soundly on the back of the head. "Since he won't listen to his gym leader, he'll listen to me. Or else," she added, glaring at him menacingly.

Fred turned bright red, but he gulped and cast his eyes downward, scowling in defeat. Hitomi caught herself just in time to keep from giggling at him. It was easy to see who wore the pants around here.

"I'll go with Grady and Hitomi," Wilbur volunteered. "If you think you guys can do without me, Roxanne, I'd like to help out as best as I can with them."

"Good," she replied with a nod of approval. "But you're not ready to set out yet. Your pokémon need healing, and you need to stop off at home and let your folks know you're going off on an errand for me. Tell them you'll be gone for a long while," she advised him, "and make sure you pack plenty of supplies. If you guys need money, I can wire him some funds through the local pokemarts," she added, smiling at Hitomi and the others. "Wilbur has my number on his cell phone. Just give us a ring. And keep us posted with the news!"

"They're likely to be watching for you to return to Rustboro," Grady warned her. "We'll need to teleport you guys out there, one at a time, and take you as discreetly as we can to your houses."

"No problem," Roxanne replied. "I know a pretty nondescript path into the city. I doubt they'll know of it, much less watch it. If I think of it Péle, can you take us there?"

Péle studied her for a few moments, and then he nodded. "Yes," he replied. "The vision is very clear to me from your thoughts. I won't have any difficulty taking as many of us there as we decide to take."

"Good," Grady replied. "This time, it might be better if I stay behind. Go in groups of two, and keep Roxanne with you until the last group has gone."

"That won't be necessary," she laughed. "We can all go at once. They won't see us. Trust me," she added, winking at him. "Oh, and Grady," she added, as she, Penny, and Fred came up to rest their hands on Péle, "thanks for everything. You too, Péle."

"And Hitomi," Péle reminded her, looking somewhat ruffled.

"And Hitomi," Roxanne laughed. "Of course."

Hitomi grinned. "You guys be careful! I'll be waiting!"

"Oh, one more thing," Grady exclaimed. "I almost forgot. When we call you and talk about Neo Perfection, we need to be careful what we say. There's no telling who might be listening. When we talk about them, we'll call them the circus people," he explained, smiling brightly at her. "It'd be wise to encode our conversations just a little."

"You're so cute," she laughed at him. Grady's eyes widened and his freckled cheeks reddened a bit. "Good luck! I'll stay with Wilbur until he's filled in his folks on the 'details,' and then I'll send him back with Péle. Good-bye you two! Stay safe!"

With that, Péle glanced back at Hitomi and winked, and without another word, they had all disappeared. Grady let out what sounded like a whole chest full of air.

"Well that's that," he sighed. "Now we wait."

"I think someone has an admirer," Hitomi said coyly, jabbing him in the ribs with her elbow. "What do you think about _that_, Mr. Cute?"

Grady's cheeks flushed again, much more visibly than before. "Don't be stupid," he laughed in embarrassment. "She was just joking around!"

"Hm... she could easily be our age," Hitomi remarked, ignoring him and tapping her chin thoughtfully. "She could be a year younger though, but not much more than that. Just don't break her heart, Grady. Those rock pokémon of hers could break more than that in you!"

"You're not funny," he chuckled, giving her a playful shove. Hitomi laughed and shoved him back. Verdiana decided that if they were going to roughhouse, she didn't want to be left out of the fun! She came bulldozing her way in between them, tossing her head and trumpeting excitedly. She nipped at Grady's jacket sleeves, and she flapped her wings, slapping Hitomi and Grady on top of their heads with the leafy fronds.

"Verdiana!" Hitomi shrieked, laughing and covering her head with her arms. "Get Grady! Knock him over good, girl!"

Verdiana stomped excitedly, and she gave Grady a good head butt in the side. "Oof!" he grunted, laughing as he fell over on his other side. "If you want a pokémon battle Hitomi, this isn't the normal way of asking for it!"

Hitomi laughed. "You started it. If you want to admit defeat, I'll call her off!"

Verdiana had her face buried in his stomach, and she was snorting and nipping at his shirt, giving him the tickling of his life. Grady was laughing so hard that he could barely breathe. "Okay! Uncle, uncle!" he gasped. "I give up!"

"Good girl, Verdiana!" Hitomi laughed. "Come on. Let's go get some more firewood. We're gonna run out soon."

"I think I'll stay here and lick my wounds," Grady gasped, catching his breath. "Don't wander off too far!" he warned as they left the cave entrance.

"Don't worry," Hitomi called back. "I won't be long."

"Oh, take these with you!" Grady called, grabbing Hitomi's shopping bag and digging some stuff out. He ran up and handed her pokéballs and super potions to her. "It never hurts to be prepared," he explained, winking. "Give me a yell if you get into trouble."

"Verdiana, kill!" Hitomi laughed. Verdiana whirled around and lowered her head, pawing at the ground and snorting like a tauros.

"Augh!" Grady half-yelled, half-laughed. "Keep her away from me! It's the tickling tropius of terror!" He ran back into the cave, flailing his arms around like a maniac.

Hitomi giggled. "Come on, girl. It's a nice day for a walk."

She and Verdiana walked for a brief distance away from the cave, watching the forest around them. Hitomi whistled softly and soaked in the peaceful surroundings. She hadn't been able to relax in a long while. Verdiana snuck up along behind her – as quietly as a pokémon of her size could sneak – and she pressed her nose to Hitomi's neck and snorted, blowing hot breath against her sensitive skin, and eliciting a shriek out of Hitomi.

"You sure are in a good mood today, aren't you?" she laughed, stopping and turning to pat Verdiana on the head. "Seems like all you want to do is play. I'm just glad you don't play too rough."

Verdiana would have responded, but all of the sudden her head shot up and she froze, sniffing the air and peering around alertly. Hitomi realized she had either heard or smelled something. She turned around again and listened. She could hear it now – a faint snuffling and rustling in the leaves just off the path to the right.

"I wonder what it is?" she whispered to Verdiana, suddenly apprehensive. "Do you think it's a pokémon?"

Verdiana didn't answer. She was just as curious as Hitomi was, but unfortunately, she was also much bolder than Hitomi. She immediately plodded toward the noise, picking her way among the leaf litter and sticks along the edge of the path, until she came to a small lump beneath the leaves. She snorted at it, and she turned excitedly to Hitomi and let out a kind of soft growl. Something about her voice told Hitomi that there was no danger, so she crept closer to see what Verdiana had found.

Carefully, Verdiana nudged the leaves with her nose, and the pile gave a frightened squeak. A pokémon scrambled out of the leaves and dirt and skittered toward the path with all its might. It looked kind of like some kind of brown bug, but it was about a foot taller than Péle had been when he was a natu. Verdiana's leafy wings flared, and with an excited snort she bounded after it and pounced on the frightened thing. It squeaked again, and this time it was a squeak of pain. Verdiana had it somewhat squished beneath her front feet.

"Verdiana!" Hitomi cried, half wanting to laugh at her playfulness, and half pitying the hapless bug that had caught her interest. "Get off of that poor thing. It's no match for your strength!"

Verdiana seemed pleased by Hitomi's assessment of her dominance over the flighty little bug, so she did as she was told. What happened next took both of them by surprise. The bug, now more indignant and angry than frightened, shook off his injuries and leapt at Verdiana's face, scratching her smartly on the snout with one of the claws on his foreleg. Verdiana honked in angry surprise, and she bit at the bug, who had already fallen to the ground and was running around the flying pokémon's legs, scratching at them as he passed. Verdiana trumpeted in frustration, and she began stomping around after it, growling and flaring her wings out menacingly.

Although she had been surprised and somewhat alarmed when the wild pokémon had turned on them, Hitomi was now finding the whole situation very comical. "Don't let him get the better of you, girl!" she laughed. "You're a flying type, aren'tcha? I thought you ate bugs like him for breakfast!" She smiled suddenly, proud that she had remembered that bugs were weak to flying types.

"Hey Verdiana!" she called to her distressed, increasingly infuriated tropius. "Fly up in the air and get him from there!"

Verdiana didn't need to be told twice. She flapped her great wings and rose a couple yards up into the air. She flew circles around the bug, making sure to send lots of gusts of air blasting down onto it from above, and swooping down occasionally to knock it over with a well-placed kick or headbutt. Within minutes, their little assailant had lost most of his steam, and he was lying on his back, kicking sluggishly at the air whenever Verdiana came close.

"That's enough, Verdiana," Hitomi laughed. "You've shown him who's boss. Get back here and leave him alone."

Verdiana trumpeted proudly and sailed back over to Hitomi, landing noisily on the ground behind her. Hitomi grinned at her and then stared back at the bug. Now that it wasn't skittering about so quickly, she could get a better look at it. It was a kind of greyish-brown, and it had a couple of malformed, green wings sprouting out of its back. It had large, multi-faceted eyes, much like those of a fly. It was a stout-looking pokémon, and since it had taken quite a while to wear it down, it must have been pretty strong. It was at least pretty sturdy. It suddenly occurred to Hitomi that it might not be a bad idea to catch it. She could ask Grady later whether he thought it would be a good pokémon to raise. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but it looked like it could hold its own.

"Let's hope this works," she said aloud, removing a pokéball from her pocket and watching as the bug got shakily to its feet. "At least it's not big and scary," she laughed. "Here goes!"

She tossed her pokéball, and it fell just short of its mark. But it rolled forward and bumped against the bug's front leg. Immediately the ball opened up and a red beam of light shot out of it and enveloped the exhausted bug. Its body transformed into more of the red light, and then it all went shooting back into the ball, which closed with a snap.

Hitomi watched the ball shake a little bit, and she couldn't help noticing that she was filled with a strange kind of excitement. Would it stay in the ball? She knew that sometimes pokémon were strong enough to burst out of the ball if they didn't want to be caught. Apparently this one was too tuckered out. After only a few weak shakes, the button on the pokéball flashed red, and they heard a musical "ding" sound.

"It worked!" Hitomi gasped. "Verdiana, I just caught a pokémon!"

Verdiana trotted forward and sniffed the pokéball, holding one paw up daintily. She snorted at the ball and turned her head. Apparently she was above acknowledging such an unimportant bug pokémon. Hitomi chuckled and went up to retrieve her pokéball. "I guess it's official now, girl. I'm a real pokémon trainer. Wouldn't my parents have been excited!"


End file.
